An Unkind Fate
by degfas
Summary: AU to New Moon. Edward didn't come back to Forks. Bella gave Jacob a chance. At first it was as easy as breathing but Fate can't be escaped nor can an imprint. Bella's story takes a tragic turn and Bella must start over. Bella sees Edward at her new college. Can she get past his betrayal and find her HEA? J&B at first but ultimately B&E.
1. Chapter 1 - Happy Anniversary

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella gives Jacob a chance and at first it is as easy as breathing. However, an imprint can't be escaped. Bella has to restart again, this time at college in Portland. She runs across her first love, Edward, on the first day of classes. Can she forgive him so she can have her HEA? Will he love the young woman she has become or pine for the naive girl he left behind?

 **A/N 1:** This story is in two parts. I know it can be a bit polarizing if you hate Jacob but only the first 15 chapters are Bella and Jacob's story and they are not long chapters. In this story, Bella truly believes that Edward won't be back. Jake starts as a really good friend and eventually Bella gives him a chance for something more. The problem is that Jake hasn't imprinted on Bella. So for a while, they are happy but Bella has this feeling of dread that it won't last and their relationship won't end well. The second part of the story is Bella running across Edward when she tries to rebuild her life at a new college. He tries to explain why he left her and wants a second chance. His actions set into motion some tragic events that have changed Bella. Bella isn't sure she wants to risk letting him back into her life. She isn't sure if he will love the young woman she has become because of those events that have changed her from the naive and idealistic girl that fell in love with Edward in Forks. If you are a Jake hater, give it a chance, I think you'll like it when Edward gets back into the story.

 **Chapter 1**

 **Happy Anniversary**

"What is this?" I asked as I looked down at the wrapped box Jacob placed in my hand. Jacob had stopped by to pick me up for a bonfire at the beach with the pack. I hadn't expected him to come bearing presents.

"Open it and see," Jacob urged with a grin on his face.

"But why are you giving me a present? My birthday isn't for another six months." I asked perplexed.

"Gees Bells, you suck at graciously accepting gifts." His smile took some of the bite out of his words. "Can't a guy just get his girl a present?"

I gave him the stink eye.

"Fine. Fine. It has been exactly two years since the night you let me kiss you after I fished you out of the water when you felt the need to go cliff diving."

I couldn't believe two years had gone by already. Two years since I stopped chasing the adrenalin rushes that let me hear _His_ voice. Jacob had saved my life that day and that night I finally listened to Edward's voice when he told me to just be happy. For the first time since Edward left me in the woods I let myself try to be happy.

Who knew happiness would be Jacob. It was Jacob sitting by Charlie at graduation inappropriately whistling and cheering as if I received the Nobel Prize for Medicine instead of my high school diploma. It was Jake shaking with laughter as I threw myself into his arms in embarrassment after catching my not so old father making out with Sue Clearwater on our living room couch. It was the day he kissed me within an inch of my life when I told him I would go to Peninsula College to stay local and give our relationship a chance.

These last two years with Jake had been marked by some sorrow with the loss of Harry Clearwater but more often than not with laughter and joy as I spent time with Jake, his family and the pack.

I looked up at his dear face and could see the changes that two years had wrought. He had long since lost the softness of youth and now had the chiseled look and body of a man. Two years of responsibility had taken their toll and an intimidating warrior now stood where a carefree teenager should be.

"Come on Bells, no stalling."

I looked at the box in my hand and grinned at the haphazard wrap job. "I think you used a whole roll of tape on this little box."

He rolled his eyes, "Stop judging my gift wrapping skills and open the damn present already."

I laughed at his impatience and ran my finger under the wrapping paper too fast. "Ouch." I stared at the tiny bead of blood that welled up from a paper cut on my finger. Like a montage from a movie I was back to my eighteenth birthday and the domino effect that one small cut had caused that night.

In a heartbeat all the feelings of loss and despair came back to me. I touched my thumb to the drop of blood and smeared it. Such a little thing to cause such abject misery, I mused. For so much time after _They_ left I thought the hole in my chest would grow until there was nothing left of me. Just like then, Jake's voice brought me back.

"Don't think shedding a little blood is going to get you out of opening the present."

I laughed at him, ever thankful for his ability to lighten a mood. I ripped through the rest of the wrapping paper without further mishap and could see a small velvet jewelry box. My stomach dropped. I stared at it for a second afraid of opening it.

"Bells," Jake whined with some impatience. I hesitated but finally opened the velvet box. To my relief it was a small wolf pendant carved out of wood. It was beautiful. I smiled and quickly kissed Jacob on the lips.

"Does that mean you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! It looks just like, uh, you, if you know what I mean," Jake laughed at my reference to his furry alter ego. "Where did you find it?" I asked as admired the craftsmanship and intricate details of the small carving.

"I made it."

I looked up in surprise, "Shut up!"

Jacob seemed a little embarrassed, "Billy taught me. It took me a while to get it right which is why it took me so long to give it to you. There were a few earlier attempts that looked more like Shetland ponies than a ferocious wolf."

I laughed at his look of chagrin. "Even the color is spot on," I said as my thumb caressed the carving. The russet color of the carving exactly matched the color of his coat when he was phased.

Jake laughed and said, "Well that may be less of the wood and more of my spilled blood as I nicked myself carving it."

I caressed the wolf again. "Aw, Jake, it's beautiful." I kissed him on the cheek. "I will treasure it always." I took the charm out of the box and noticed that it was attached to a slim leather cord. I turned my back to him and lifted my hair and asked, "Will you put it on me?"

Jacob took the necklace from my hands and tied the cords. I shivered as I felt his warm breath on the back of my neck. He gave the cord a final tug and caught my hair as I let it drop. He moved the strands to the side and placed a gentle kiss on the nape of my neck by the knot of the cord. Tingles went down my back. I couldn't resist his warmth. I snuggled back against his strong chest. His lips moved to the side of my neck and I tilted my head to give him better access.

"Beck sent a ticket to my Dad so he can spend Easter with her and her husband," he said between small kisses up the side of my neck. "Rachel put away enough to go with him." He whispered in my ear. "The house will be empty that weekend," he continued and then nipped my ear. A shiver went down my spine. I knew what he was hinting at.

Jake had been pretty patient with me these last two years; accepting the boundaries that I imposed. One of which was an age issue. I don't know if it was being a daughter of a cop, I felt weird being almost twenty and thinking of sleeping with someone seventeen even if the guy looked like he was older than me, .

Our current living arrangements also did not allow for much privacy. Now that he had turned eighteen, he had been pushing a bit more aggressively for us to take the next step.

Part of me, and I knew which part that was, was yelling _yes please_. Another part of me was scared and holding back. Jake spun me around and took my lips in a breath stealing kiss.

With the uncanny timing of protective fathers through the ages, Charlie came through the front door just when things were getting interesting. I jumped guiltily away from Jake. I learned early that Jake's super wolf hearing was useless when he was romantically occupied. Charlie didn't enjoy the experience of walking in on us any more than we did. "Bells, I'm home," Charlie warned as he hung up his jacket.

"Hey, Dad," I said escaping Jake's attempts to pull me back into his arm and quickly walked into the living room. "How was work?"

"Slow," he said as he locked his gun in the gun safe underneath the stairs. "I won another twenty dollars off of Deputy Bob".

I could tell that Charlie was doing a visual inventory of the state of our clothes and appearance. He looked satisfied that he hadn't interrupted anything too wild. I was twenty years old for goodness sake, yet he still made me feel like a guilty teenager.

"Charlie, you do realize that gambling is illegal in Washington State."

Charlie smiled slyly at Jake, "Only if they catch you."

Jake snickered at Charlie's interpretation of law enforcement.

"You staying for dinner, Jake?"

"I was actually planning on stealing Bella, if you don't mind. The guys are doing a bonfire on the beach tonight."

"Isn't it too cold for a bonfire?"

"Uh, we bring heaters with us."

I laughed. Yeah, one hundred and seven degree wolf heaters.

"Well, dress warm Bells."

"I will. I left you a plate of fried chicken and some vegetables warming in the oven." Charlie thanked me and told us to have a good time. I followed him into the kitchen to grab the Tupperware containers of food for the bonfire. Charlie took his dinner from the warming trey and carried it over to the coffee table in front of the television.

Jake went out to warm the car but I hesitated after grabbing my coat. "Dad." Charlie looked up from the sports show for half a second. "Don't forget to eat the vegetables or you're getting nothing but vegetarian dishes next week," I threatened.

Charlie grumbled but took a bite of the broccoli on his plate. I knew he secretly liked that I cared enough to make sure he ate healthy. "I'll give you a call if I'm going to be late coming home." Charlie nodded but he was already entranced by the sports recaps and highlights on ESPN. I put on my coat and I ran for the truck.

 **A/N** \- Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2 - Bonfire

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **Chapter 2 - Bonfire**

The sun had just started to go down as Jake parked my truck in the public parking lot beside the beach. It was almost the start of spring but still quite cool, especially in the evenings. I hopped down from the truck and stared at the sunset as Jake gathered our contributions to the party from the back of the truck.

"The sunset is beautiful," I said as he walked up beside me.

He looked at the waning sun, "Yeah, but there is something a bit sad about twilight."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. It's like the extinguishment of possibilities. It's that point in the day when you realize the lost possibilities; all the things that the day could have been but hadn't achieved." Jake shrugged, "I think I prefer the breaking dawn. It's a new beginning - an anything can happen time. "

I was surprised. That was pretty profound for Jake. He looked a bit embarrassed and tried to recover with a joke. "And those are today's deep thoughts by Jack Handy."

I rolled my eyes at the vintage Saturday Night Live reference and shoved my shoulder into his. It was like hitting a brick wall. I bounced off of him. He laughed and gave me a slight nudge that made me stagger into the sand. I kicked some sand over at him and ran back to his side. We shoved back and forth against each other as we approached the milling group down the beach.

"Hey Jake, hey Bella," Embry called out. He was setting up beach chairs around a rock circle that would house the bonfire once Quil had finished piling up the wood at its center.

Jake set our stuff down behind two of the chairs and harassed Quil's fire building skills. I dug into the cooler and grabbed the food containers I had packed earlier. Quil looked up from what he was doing and eyed the plastic containers in my arms with a great deal of interest.

"Any chance those might contain your fried chicken?" I smiled at his hopeful expression. It made him look like the teenager he was instead of the man he resembled. He brushed some sand off his hands against his board shorts and I admired what a fine specimen of manhood he had become. As usual, he was shirtless and presented the same striking pose of masculinity that the rest of the pack shared in spades. Like Jake, Quill had shot up to over six foot and had filled out over the last year. I barely recognized the man from the boy that would pop in at Jake's garage when we built the motorcycles.

"Of course. I also made some chocolate and butterscotch brownies for dessert."

Jake head swung around at the mention of the browned. He gave me a wounded look. I shook my head at him and said, "Don't give me the puppy dog eyes. I had to hide them from you because you cannot be trusted around chocolate treats." I had to put them into a Tupperware container and then put that Tupperware container into another Tupperware container so the super sniffer couldn't detect them and eat them before we got here. The tricks a girl had to learn when dating a wolf.

He came up behind me and whispered in my ear. "Fair enough, but you have to promise to make a special batch just for me later."

"I do? Or what?"

His hands lightly caressed me from my waist to my rib cage. I shivered in response and couldn't stop from leaning back into his embrace. He breathed into my ear seductively and said, "Or I'll do this." He tickled me and my knees buckled as I giggled and tried to get away from his marauding fingers.

"Okay! Okay! I'll make some just for you." He smiled and let me go.

"See, just need to know their weaknesses."

I kissed him on the cheek and walked toward the girls.

Embry set up the last of his lawn chairs and called, "Hey Bella, thanks for dropping off that casserole to my Mother last week. She wants to know if she can have the recipe."

"Of course, I'll email it you. I hope she's feeling better."

"She is. Thanks."

I placed the plastic containers on the makeshift table Emily stood behind as she arranged plates and containers of foods.

"Hi, Emily."

Emily grinned up at me. She and I had grown closer over the last year. "Thank God you brought your fried chicken and a dessert. These guys eat like a small army and I'm having a hard time keeping up with them."

"Glad to help."

I don't know if it was that we had spent so much time together, but I rarely noticed the scars anymore. Not that they faded but they just didn't stand out on a face that glowed with so much happiness.

"You're looking well."

She did. She radiated happiness.

Emily blushed, "Thanks. I guess a big part of it is the wedding. I can't believe it's only four weeks away. But thank God we didn't set the date later or we were going to have some explaining to do."

I looked at her in surprise. "Are you saying what I think you are saying?"

She nodded excitedly.

"I'm almost twelve weeks along."

"Oh Em, congratulations!" I gave her a big hug.

"I didn't even realize it." She said as she stepped back. "Believe it or not, Sam's the one that figured it out."

"What do you mean?"

"He said that I smelled different. At first I was insulted and I almost kicked him to the couch and then he tried to explain what he meant. I thought about what might be different and realized that I was late."

"Well, I'm so happy for you and Sam. You are going to make wonderful parents."

"Thanks. I really appreciate that."

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, just be at the wedding with Jake and celebrate with us."

We talked weddings and baby plans as we arranged the food on the table. I leaned across the table and she saw the wolf pendant sway around my neck. "You're looking pretty happy yourself these days."

I stole a glance at Jake as he argued with Quil and Embry over the right way to build the fire and said, "Yeah, I can't complain. "

"Well, whatever you're doing, keep it up. I've never seen Jake so happy." I blushed, but I was thrilled that at least someone in the group thought I was good for Jacob. Not everyone in the pack was a fan of mine. Some had issues with my presence at pack events and the amount of information I was privy to when I was not an imprint.

We both turned when we heard Paul and Seth's raised voices as they tried to light Sue Clearwater's old grill so they could start cooking the hamburgers and the hotdogs. Paul peered into the grill, touched knobs and poked the charcoal, "This grill is a piece of sh.."

Before he could finish the word, Leah Clearwater walked up behind him and slapped the back of his head. "Hey! No hating on the grill. It was free and just takes a gentler touch to light than you two mutts have. Step aside and let me show you how it's done."

Paul looked disgruntled but moved away from the grill. Ever since Paul had imprinted on Rachel the prior summer, he seemed to control his temper better. I wished the same could be said for Jacob. The prospect of Paul as a brother in law seemed to set his off more readily.

Seth watched Leah move the components around in some secret order only she knew and said, "That grill needs to be given a noble warriors funeral and sent on to the happy hunting ground. I swear I'm taking a collection up after this bonfire and we are buying a new grill."

Leah snickered at him and both guys conceded defeat when they saw flames flicker up from the bottom of the grill. Leah moved away from the grill in triumph and left the guys to start the hot dogs and the hamburgers.

Her happy expression only lasted until she caught sight of me. She noticed the wolf pendant immediately. At first I thought I saw a touch of concern in her eyes but she quickly masked it with her usual disdain.

"Looks like someone marked his territory. I guess you're lucky he gave you the necklace instead of peeing on you."

She grabbed a chip from the table and went to talk to Kim and Rachel.

I felt like she blamed me for the activation of the wolf gene because of my association with the Cullens. Six more boys from the tribe phased even after the Cullens left. Sam speculated on the continued transformations until Laurent appeared and they realized that there were still vampires in the area. During one of my bleakest moments I stumbled across The Meadow and inadvertently, Laurent. He took great pleasure in telling me that Victoria had sent him to see if the Cullens were around and if I was still under their protection. She wanted revenge for James; a mate for a mate Laurent had said. If only she knew the irony of that sentiment.

I remembered my surprise at seeing the wolves for the first time as they had distracted Laurent long enough for me to get away from the meadow. I had been so frightened that Laurent would track me back to my house and hurt Charlie. That whole night I was terrified that each creak was Laurent or Victoria breaking in to our small house to finish things once and for all.

It wasn't long after that I put the pieces together and figured out Jake's secret. Even after I had seen the sheer size of the wolves I was still surprised to find out that they had so easily dispatched Laurent. Victoria, however, still eluded them. She made periodic forays onto the reservation and around Forks but she always seemed to have a knack for escaping the wolves at the last second. It had been ten months since her last attempt. Unlike Edward, she wasn't easily distracted.

"Just ignore her, everyone else does," Jake said as he came up behind me and wrapped his muscled arms around my waste. I felt so warm and safe in his embrace. I looked up and he gave me a quick peck. He then reached around me to the table and stole a brownie. He laughed and dodged my hand slap as he ran back to the guys.

"Wolves, can't live with them can't neuter them," Emily joked as she finished the set up. I looked at her in surprise. "No, really. I asked the Elders after the guys tore up my garden. They said no."

"You wouldn't have it any other way."

She looked adoringly at Sam and nodded.

Over the next hour, the guys finished grilling the hot dogs and hamburgers and everyone started to get comfortable around the fire. Paul brought his guitar and I was surprised to find out that he had a nice singing voice. I leaned back against Jake as Paul serenaded Rachel with another love song. I thought it was cute but Jake just clenched his teeth.

A few minutes later Brady, one of the newer pack members, walked up to the fire as he held hands with a cute girl that looked close to his age. Everyone greeted the late comers and made some space for them to sit down. Brady got the girl settled and then spoke to Sam. Whatever Brady told Sam put a concerned look on his face.

"Brady came kind of late," I murmured to Jake.

"He and Chase were on patrol."

Emily and Kim started to chat with the girl. They seemed familiar with each other so I guessed that they had met before.

"Who's the girl with Brady?"

He shifted behind me and his tone was uncomfortable. "That's Grace."

"I didn't know he was seeing someone new. She seems tight with Emily and Kim."

"Yeah, they've been very welcoming."

Sam signaled to the guys and Jake popped up from his seat.

"Do you want anything while I'm up?"

I shook my head and watched Jake take a position next to Sam as Brady relayed some information to Sam and the pack members.

Kim looked over at me, "I hope nothing is wrong."

I nodded in agreement.

Jake and Sam seemed to be strategizing about something and then their meeting broke up.

"What was that about?" I asked when Jake sat down behind me again.

"Nothing."

I wanted to believe him but I could feel the tension in his chest when he gathered me back to lean against him. I looked up at him and my expression clearly said I didn't buy what he was selling.

He sighed, "You might want to stay a bit closer to home over the next few days. Brady caught the scent of something. "

Now I tensed up, "Victoria?"

Jake shook his head, "He didn't think so but he thought it was a vampire. We won't know for sure until we phase and can see if we recognize the scent from Brady's memory. So, starting tomorrow Sam's going to have us run a few extra patrols just to be safe."

I knew better than to express any worry to Jake about his safety. He found it either insulting or amusing. He always laughed off my concerns telling me this is what they were made for. It didn't make me worry any less.

It also didn't make me feel less responsible for bringing this danger to the pack. It was my fault that Victoria kept invading their territory. I don't know how I would live with the guilt if one of the wolves was injured or killed by Victoria. I gave him a concerned look but I dropped the subject and his shoulders started to relax.

Whatever Brady told Sam seemed to kill some of the carefree mood the guys were in before he showed up. Sam broke some of the tension by picking Emily up and throwing her over his shoulder. He raced to the edge of the water and was threatening to throw her in over her shrieks of protest.

The other guys took this as a challenge and suddenly grabbed their partners to join in. Soon there were races down the beach with the girlfriends riding on the guys' shoulders and chicken fights in the sand.

The rest of the evening was a lot of fun. We ate and then we chilled out in front of the fire. The guys swapped exaggerated stories of their bravery and daring feats on patrol that no one but the teller actually believed.

I felt cocooned in a sense of camaraderie and family that I had never felt at home with Charlie or Renee. The feeling of belonging grew stronger as I felt Jake's warm breath on my neck and near my ear as he trailed shiver inducing kisses up and down my neck. I closed my eyes and tilted my head to give him better access. My breathing quickened and Jake chuckled.

I saw a few of the couples had wandered off into the dark and Jake stood up and grabbed my hand. He pulled me up and then anchored me to his hip as we walked alongside the lapping water in the opposite direction of the other couples.

I toyed with my carved wolf sliding it back and forth on the leather cord, my thumb feeling all the grooves of the fine detail work. It was a beautiful and touching gift.

"So, you really like it?"

"I love it. I feel like I have a little piece of you."

"With the amount of blood I spilt carving it, I guess you do."

Jake found a secluded alcove of jutting rocks and we settled into the grotto. He gathered me into his arms and tangled his big hand into the back of my hair. I couldn't help but tilt my head back as his lips slowly came down on mine. I could feel the soft caress of his tongue against my bottom lip and couldn't suppress a shiver as I gladly parted my lips and granted him access. He tasted wonderful.

I ran my fingers up his back kneading the powerful muscles. I unconsciously rubbed my chest against his in an effort to burrow closer. He groaned against my lips. His hands moved out of my hair and were suddenly under the waistband of my sweater. The heat of his hands felt so good as the breeze blew across the surf. His hands scorched as they ran up my back rubbing me even more insistently against his chest.

His legs were slightly parted as his backside rested against the rocks. I was wedged between his legs and I could feel every muscular inch of him.

"Bella, I want you so much." He whispered as he abandoned my lips and trailed kisses up my neck.

I let out a small moan. I knew he wanted me, I could feel it.

My experiences with Edward never prepared me for the carnality I felt with Jacob. I had felt overwhelming desire with Edward but his every touch was controlled. Each kiss, each caress was restrained to the point it had started to make me feel reserved and stiff. I became self-conscious and afraid that any outward display of building desire would bring on the inevitable rejection.

Jake kissed me again. The heat of his body was overwhelming but somehow wrong. As if my body expected iciness instead of a low burning flame. I pushed thoughts of Edward away and tried to lose myself in his embrace again. Jake didn't hold back. He showed his desire in every kiss and every touch. It felt incredible to feel that someone wanted me so much. I reveled in his barely controlled animal lust.

Jake broke away unexpectedly and I looked up at him in confusion. He quickly straitened my sweater and held me in a loose embrace as voices explained his sudden actions.

"Hey, is that you Jake?" Seth called out. "Hope we're not interrupting anything," he laughed with a sly grin.

"Nah, nothing to interrupt over there," Paul snickered. "Bella's not letting Jake past second base. Jake's going to be the next 40 year-old virgin."

I was glad it was dark so it hid my red face. Jake picked up a rock from the sand and in a flash I heard it whistle in the direction of their voices. We had the satisfaction of hearing a thud and Paul swearing.

Jake shrugged, "No secrets in the pack."

I was mortified. I hated to think that the pack believed I was some kind of tease. I knew Leah thought I was stringing Jake along when Edward first left. That wasn't the case. At first I had just felt too broken to consider anything serious.

I hadn't wanted to raise Jake's hopes that I could be what he wanted or needed. And he did need me. Learning about his legacy had been hard on him. I was glad I had been there to make him feel like it was just another special aspect of him. The packs ability to phase didn't define him. I still saw the real him and I was glad that I could be there for him to remind him of the goodness in him when he foolishly thought of himself as a monster.

We walked back to the party. I couldn't stop my curiosity, so I asked again about Grace and Brady. "I was surprised you guys were telling pack stories with Grace there. I thought you weren't supposed to talk about any of that outside of the pack?"

"The pack and imprints," Jake reluctantly said.

I stumbled. "Brady imprinted on her."

Jake long used to my clumsiness, attributed my pause to my lack of grace instead of the surprise it really was. Now it made sense. My stomach dropped at the thought that another of the wolves imprinted. I looked at Jake out of the corner of my eyes. We both were silent, neither of us wanted to say what they knew the other was thinking.

A continuous point of contention with us getting more serious was the imprint issue. Jake and I had grown so close over this last year but as far as we could tell he had never imprinted on me. Jake tried to reassure me that imprinting was the exception not the norm. Only, that was not turning out to be the case. Four of the wolves had already imprinted and now Brady made five.

"Bells, it doesn't mean anything."

I gave him an incredulous look.

"You know what I mean. It doesn't have a deeper meaning for us."

Edward's words echoed in my head, "Bella, _you're_ not good for me." This latest imprinting just reinforced what I had worried about over this last year. What did I lack that other girls seem to have?

As we got closer to the fire, I could see people had started to clean up. Jake gave me another concerned look so I tried to give him a reassuring smile. He didn't look convinced but he left to pack up our stuff while I went over to help Emily clean off the make shift table.

We stood facing each other folding the table cloth. I couldn't hold it back. "So… Brady imprinted."

Emily avoided eye contact. "Yes, it happened a few weeks after he went back to school once he got his phasing under control. Grace was a transfer from another reservation school. Her father is working on one of the fishing boats in this area and they just moved to the reservation. I hear that Brady almost caused a scene in the lunch room cafeteria when he first saw her. A few of the guys had to shuffle him out before he brought attention to himself."

"So, it's not as rare as Sam and the elders thought?"

Emily knew what I was thinking. She still felt horrible about coming between Sam and Leah. "Everyone is surprised that it has happened again so soon after Paul and Rachel."

I nodded but didn't say anything in response. I just put the folded table cloth into her beach bag.

 **XXXXXX**

"You're awfully quiet," Jake said as he took one hand off the steering wheel and squeezed my hand.

"Just thinking."

He looked over at me for a second. "Is it them? Him?"

"No!" I said shocked. "What made you think that?"

Jake wouldn't look at me. "You don't talk about them so when you get quiet, I wonder."

I didn't know what to say.

"Bella," Jake said with some caution, "What… what would you do if they came back? If _he_ came back?"

I was silent for a moment. I didn't realize he worried that I still had feelings for Edward. I couldn't tell him that I didn't because a part of me would always love Edward. Jacob was warmth, sunlight, and hot passion. But I would be lying that in my darkest moments I didn't remember Edward's intoxicating smell and the addictive taste of his cool lips. He was my first love.

I just wouldn't let myself pine away for him anymore. Jake was right when he yelled at me that first year that it was time to rejoin the living. ' _What? Do you think if you waste your life staying faithful to a memory he's going to hear about it and be so impressed with your devotion he'll realize what a mistake he made in leaving you?'_

Charlie was also right, ' _Sometimes you have to love what is good for you.'_

Edward coming back wasn't something I let myself think of anymore. "That won't happen so it's not an issue."

"You don't know that."

"Sure I do. If they cared they would have come back when Laurent came here. Alice would have seen what he was going to do. If you guys hadn't been there…" My voice cracked. "Why are we talking about this? They aren't coming back." I looked out my side window at the passing trees and the moon partially covered by clouds. "Believe me, they found other distractions by now." I couldn't keep some of the bitterness from my voice.

He looked intently out at the road. He looked like he was struggling with something to say so I tried to change the subject. "I wasn't thinking of the Cullens or Edward. I was actually thinking about Brady and Grace."

"Oh."

There was a pregnant pause; another touchy subject.

"Bells, it doesn't mean anything," he tried to reassure me again.

"How can you say that? I feel like there is a sword hanging over our heads just waiting to fall."

"Bells, I love you."

"I know you do, Jake, but …..it doesn't mean that you won't imprint."

He looked like he wanted to argue some more about it but he let it drop. We spent the rest of the car ride in silence, lost in our own thoughts or concerns.

Ten minutes later he pulled up in front of my house. He turned off the truck, jumped out to open my door and he walked me to the front porch. Charlie left the light on so it was pretty bright after the drive through the tree lined roads from the reservation into Forks.

He took my face in both of his warm hands and looked down into my eyes. There was so much that we needed to talk about but we both just stayed silent. Finally, he leaned down and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in closer. We only broke apart when the porch light started to blink on and off repeatedly. Jake gave a chuckle and kissed my forehead.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Bells."

I rolled my eyes at the antics of my father. Jake just laughed and yelled a goodnight to Charlie. I walked through the front door and glared at my father.

"Dad, I'm twenty years old. Do you _really_ have to do the light thing?"

"It worked didn't it?"

I rolled my eyes in frustration and walked up stairs to get ready for bed. After changing and brushing my teeth I laid in bed unable to fall asleep. I kept running Jake's words over in my head. When I was with Jake it was easy to believe his assertion that it wasn't an issue that he hadn't imprinted on me. Alone and in the quiet of the night it was a lot harder to silence the voices in my head that warned me this could end badly. Again.

 **A/N** \- Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3 - Bad Dreams Cometh

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **Chapter 3 - Bad Dreams Cometh**

"Bella, Bella. Wake up!" Charlie said as he tried to shake my thrashing shoulders. "It's just a dream."

I dragged my eyes open and looked around trying to figure out where I was and who was shaking me. I looked into the concerned eyes of my father. Crap. I had woken up Charlie again.

"Are you okay?"

"Sorry Dad. I didn't mean to wake you up again."

Charlie looked so sad. I hadn't realized I was crying until he gently wiped the tears from cheek. "Bad dream?"

I nodded. He didn't ask me what it was about. He already knew.

"It was nothing," I lied. "Just one of those chasing dreams you get when you are anxious. I guess I'm a bit worried about classes," I looked at the clock on my bedside table. "Why don't you go back to bed and try to get another couple hours of sleep. I'm fine. I'm going to go back to sleep myself."

Charlie looked doubtful but he was afraid to confront me too much so he kissed my forehead and went back to his room.

Once I heard him settle, I turned on my side and looked out my window. I knew I wouldn't fall back to sleep. It had been a while since I had one of my black hole dreams, almost a year, but once I had one I could never fall back asleep. Maybe it was Jake's talk of the Cullens that brought it on again.

The dreams had started when Edward and his family left. I hated having them come back because Charlie had finally stopped looking at me like I was going to break into a million pieces at any moment. I knew it was my own fault. I was virtually catatonic for the first three months after Edward left.

Dawn. It was one of the hardest times of the day for me since Edward left over two years ago. I touched the carved wolf around my neck. Two years. I found it hard to believe that I had been with Jake longer than Edward. Somehow that one spring and summer seemed more intense. It was as if I had packed more living and feeling into those six months than any other time in my life.

I watched the first rays of sun, or what passed for sun in Forks, creep through the tree branches just outside my window. I used to cherish the dawn. It was the time I felt closest to Edward.

I remembered awakening to his cool kisses on my neck and lips and then laying drowsily in his arms in the early morning hours. I reveled in his touch and his smell until he had to sneak out of my window before Charlie woke up and discovered us in bed together. The touches and kisses had been so tame in comparison to what girls my age were doing at that time. Somehow I doubted that would have placated Charlie.

After Edward left, dawn just represented the time I either woke up screaming or crying. I stopped counting the number of nights I dreamed that there was a hole in my chest. Those first three months, it had felt like the hole got bigger and bigger each night until I thought it was going to swallow me up.

I remembered Renee reading Alice in Wonderland to me as a kid. I would never forget Renee's sing song voice as she read Alice's line, "I'm shrinking." That is how I had felt when Edward left and hadn't wanted me to go with him.

 _'Bella, I don't want you to come.'_

What he had really meant was that he hadn't wanted me any more.

I had felt like I was slowly shrinking until I became invisible. I went to school, but my "friends" barely noticed I was there. Even Lauren found no sport in tormenting me. I went to work, but the customers avoided the crazy Swan girl. I went home, but Charlie looked afraid to talk to me as if the wrong word would send me over the edge.

I had felt so alone, until Jacob.

He had brought me back from the edge. At first, well ….the only accurate word to describe the situation was that I had used him. At first, I had used him to help me rebuild some motorcycles in a vain effort to chase an Edward hallucination. I had accidentally figured out that if I did something dangerous, something reckless, I could hear his voice. I knew it had to be my subconscious but at that point I would have done anything to have some part of him back with me.

I had used Jacob to bring sunlight and warmth back into my life. After spending some time with Jacob I had realized that life didn't seem so empty. I looked forward to being with him whether it was studying at his kitchen table, hiking around the area or hanging out with his friends. After a while, I realized I didn't need to chase the hallucinations.

Maybe at first I held back because I worried that I was mixing love with gratitude. Then the imprinting issue only seemed to support my concerns over moving on to a physical relationship.

Tonight's nightmare was different from my early nightmares. In this dream Jacob had imprinted on some faceless girl and I was all alone again. The darkness was enveloping me and there was no sun to show me the way out.

I looked at the clock again. Another hour until I had to drive to Port Angeles for Calculus. Some things had not changed since I graduated from high school. I still hated math. I had to declare my major next year at Peninsula College. I had been giving a lot of thought to majoring in English or Education. At least that would limit the higher math classes I would have to take. I turned off my alarm so it wouldn't beep while I was in the shower and bother Charlie.

I got out of bed and paused at the window. I looked at the trees that lined the side and back of the house. It was just starting to get light and some flash of color caught my attention in the tree line. The hairs on the back of my neck started to rise. I felt like someone was watching me. My first thought was Victoria. My heart rate started to rise at the thought but Jacob had said that the pack hadn't caught her scent in quite a few months.

 _Get a grip Bella, it's just your paranoia_. Jacob had said Sam was going to increase the patrols. Maybe one of the pack was doing a patrol near the house. I would have to ask Jacob when I saw him later.

xxxxxx

"Wow. What a lecture. I think I need a heavy caffeine infusion after that." I smiled at Jane's wry comment as I gathered up my laptop. "Bella, we're going to grab a coffee. Do you want to come along?"

"Sorry, I think I'm going to hit a couple of the shops before I head back to Forks." I grimaced. Shopping for clothes was never my favorite thing to do. "I've got a wedding in a few weeks and I don't have anything to wear."

"Ok, well we'll be at the diner if you change your mind."

"Thanks, Jane."

The girl standing beside Jane gave me a haughty look and whispered, "I don't know why you bother asking her. She never comes to anything we invite her to."

"Come on, she's nice."

Lisa rolled her eyes, "Whatever."

I hunched my shoulders at the whispered conversation. It was true. I hadn't really socialize with anyone from school. Jane had been inviting me to coffee and parties since we met freshman year and I always turned her down in favor of Pack events. I know I was never a social butterfly but I was just starting to realize just how much I had isolated myself. Well next time I would go if she asked, I promised myself.

Now, though, I had to find a dress.

I approached one of the two dress shops in Port Angeles and realized that the last time I had been there was with Jessica and Angela. That brought back the memory of my first encounter with Edward out of school. I shook the thought away and focused on why I was there. I wanted to find a dress that would knock Jake on his ass.

Two hours later, I parked my truck in the driveway when Jake's Rabbit pulled up along the curb. Before I could even turn the truck ignition off, Jake was at my door opening it for me. Stupid wolf speed. It was tough to be so ordinary when surrounded by beings with mythical powers.

He held his hand out for my computer and back pack so I grabbed the shopping bags on the seat. "How were classes?"

"Ugh. I hate math! There is just something so wrong when letters start showing up in math problems."

He laughed. "Did classes run late?"

I raised the shopping bags in my hands. "No, I hit a couple of shops after class while I was in Port Angeles looking for something to wear to Sam and Emily's wedding."

"Find anything?"

I opened the front door and he dropped my computer and book bag onto the kitchen table.

"As a matter of fact I did."

"Are you going to show me?" He tried grabbing the bag.

I swung it behind my back, "Nope, I want to surprise you."

I had been feeling guilty about our conversation at the bonfire and really wanted to wow him the night of the wedding.

He made a few more playful grabs at the bag before he just settled for grabbing me.

An hour later Charlie came home, "Something smells good."

I had Jake set the table and we all sat down for dinner. Conversation flowed easily.

"Jake, how's your Dad?"

"Good. He just had his check up with Endocrinologist."

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, they just like to monitor his kidneys to make sure there are no complications with the diabetes. His doctor told him to lay off the fried food more."

"I really worry about him."

"We all do, Charlie."

I wrapped up the leftovers so Jake could take them home to Billy.

"At least he won't have any fried food food for a few days with this. I included some steamed vegetables as well."

Charlie grabbed the containers from Jake. "I'm planning to stop by Sue's. I'll drop off the leftovers to Billy and say hi. I'll see you two later."

Jake's eyes lit up at the thought of the alone time.

That gave Charlie pause and he gave Jake the stare. "Don't make me regret leaving you two alone."

Jake held his hands up innocently and then made a halo diagram over his head. "I promise we won't do anything you wouldn't do when you are at Sue's."

Charlie glared at him but left. The door no sooner closed than Jake was chasing me around the kitchen, through the living room and around the couch. I was laughing so hard it was making me clumsier than normal. It wasn't long before the inevitable happened and I tripped on my feet. Luckily the couch was near enough to catch my fall.

Jake quickly pounced. "Stop! Stop!" He buried his nose in my ear and made little snuffling sounds like a puppy. I giggled and pushed him away. "That tickles!"

Jake lifted his head and smiled down at me. He was so handsome. I smiled back; tired of playing I grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down so I could kiss him.

I walked him out to the Rabbit a couple of hours later. "Wonder if Charlie got luckier than I did." Jake said wryly.

I elbowed Jake in the ribs for even daring to complain about his lack of action and for planting the disturbing thought of my father and sex.

Jake laughed and said, "Bella, you are going to have to wrap your head around the fact that your Dad is still a young man and has needs….."

I stuffed my fingers in my ears and started chanting in a monotone, "La, la, la..! I can't hear you!"

He just rolled his eyes at me and got into the car. It always amazed me that he could fold up six foot seven inches of man into what looked like a clown car in comparison to his build. I leaned through the window and gave him a playful kiss on the lips.

Jake grabbed me and pulled me in for a real kiss. I gave him one more quick peck and stepped back from the curve as he turned on the engine. The Rabbit just rumbled to life when I remembered to call out to him, "Jake? Are you guys still running patrols near my house?"

Jake looked like he was listening to the engine more than my question, "Yes, why?"

"Oh, you might tell the guys that they need to work on their stealth abilities. I think I caught sight of one of them this morning. It might be a bit awkward if one of my neighbors calls the police and reports a horse size wolf sighting behind the chief of police's house."

That caught his attention. "What time was that?"

"A little after dawn."

Jake looked pensive but nodded his head, "I'll talk to Sam and I'll ask him who was on patrol in your area this morning."

He waited until I was safely at the front door before he put the car in gear. I waived but I didn't think he saw it. He looked distracted as he pulled away from the curve.

 **A/N** \- Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4 - First Salmon

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – This ceremony is made up and doesn't exist as written, however, it is based on a few traditions I read about on the internet. Don't slam me for taking some artistic license to put a hot guy in leather skirt.

 **Chapter 4 - First Salmon**

"So what are we doing?" I asked as Jake pulled out of my driveway the following weekend. It was a beautiful spring day. The sun was shining and it was actually a little warm which meant that I could forgo a coat and survive in a sweater and jeans.

"I thought you might like to see the First Salmon ceremony over at the reservation."

"What's that?"

"It's a ceremony to welcome the first salmon of the season."

"I think I've been doing that ceremony for the last few years every time Charlie brought me the decapitated fish he caught the first day of fishing season."

Jake chuckled, "Well there is a bit more pomp and circumstance to this ceremony."

"Who's going?"

"The Elders have been talking with Sam about trying to get the younger kids on the reservation involved to ensure the tribe's traditions are maintained and passed on to the next generation. So, Sam told the pack to show up and to try to drag as many of the kids from the reservation school as possible."

We passed the turn off to Jakes house. "Aren't we going to pick up your Dad?"

Jake shook his head as he headed to a dirt road that led to a clearing near where the river emptied into the ocean. "Old Quil picked him up this morning. He went to the river with the elders to help set up for the ceremony."

Jake parked the car in the clearing. Rachel waived at Jake and pulled on Paul's arm to make him wait for us. He was less than enthusiastic to see me but kept his mouth shut as we walked toward the people that milled by the river.

Luckily the clearing beside the river was large enough to accommodate the large gathering. Sam and Emily waived us over. I saw that there was a nice range of ages from the very old to the very young. Many of the older people and the little children were dressed in traditional clothing. It was nice to see people honor their traditions. Not surprisingly, the teenagers were in jeans and t-shirts looking too cool to be there.

I recognized a few of the kids from the reservation tutoring programming I had been working with since the fall school term. Little Joy White ran up to me, "Hi, Miss Bella."

I gave her a hug and waived to her family.

"Will you be at school on Tuesday?"

"Absolutely. You and I have to finish the Harry Potter chapter we started." Joy smiled and ran back to her family.

Jake had his arm around my shoulder and looked down at me with pride, "You really like tutoring and helping out with the kids?"

"Yeah, I didn't know how much I would love it. When Emily asked me if I wanted to volunteer at the reservation school to improve test scores, I didn't realize how much I would get out of it. Every time I see one of the kids reading improve or the light bulb goes off on a math problem I'm helping them with, I feel like I'm making a difference."

Jake squeezed my shoulder and kissed my temple, "You are very special."

I blushed of course and he just laughed.

Off to the side I could see Billy and Old Quil as they stood beside an older man and a younger man in full ceremonial gear holding a spear.

"Who is that?"

Sam saw where I was looking, "That is Walter Raven. He is this year's Salmon Chief. He will act as something like a Master of Ceremony. "

Old Quil and Billy stood behind a small fire with a smoking pot that hung from a tripod.

Jacob explained, "The ceremony celebrates the life cycle of the salmon. You see, salmon are born in fresh water, migrate to the ocean and then return to the fresh water of their origin to reproduce and then die. The idea is to show respect to the salmon in order to ensure a good run. Our tribe, like others in the area, believed that if the salmon were not treated well, they would become offended and would stop coming back."

"Just like a woman," a voice from behind said sarcastically. It was Paul and Rachel.

Rachel slapped the back of Paul's head and he looked suitably abashed. I was always shocked at how she was able to keep him under control since the imprint.

Quil and Collin came over and punched Jake in the shoulder in greeting. Emily saw Quil and said, "Hey Quil, I was talking to my Mom last night. She said your Aunt Agnes and Uncle William are moving back to the Makah reservation?"

"Yeah, my Mom said they missed the rain and couldn't take the heat in New Mexico anymore."

Before he could say anything else, the Elders signaled to the crowd that the ceremony was beginning. Quileute families and local observers gathered in a large circle close to where the Elders and the Salmon Chief stood. Families vied for a better spot to see the ceremony and children were shushed as they squirmed around and moved away from parents to get a better look.

I saw Emily take out her trusty leather journal ready to take notes on the ceremony. She noticed my gaze. "I'm trying to document the tribal legends. Old Quil is a treasure of stories and I don't want them to get lost."

Rachel agreed. "I guess once you find out one legend is steeped in fact; you have to wonder about the rest."

The Elders walked the Salmon Chief to the steaming pot. The Elders and the Salmon Chief chanted and moved their hands through the steam waiving it towards their faces and the spear.

"What are they doing?" I whispered to Jake.

"They are going through a purification process," he whispered back. "They are boiling red Thorn bark and using the steam to purify the Salmon Chief and the spear."

The Salmon Chief took the purified spear and moved through the crowd to where a group of young men were standing also dressed in traditional garb.

"The Salmon Chief now selects a fisherman to spear the first salmon to signal the beginning of the Salmon season for the tribe."

One young man stood head and shoulders above the rest. "Is that who I think it is?" I asked with a bit of a giggle.

"Yup, that's Embry."

While the Elders were in leggings and tunic, Embry was shirtless and in some type of leather kilt and moccasins.

"Sam thought it would be a good idea to lead by example so some of the guys had to volunteer to participate in the ceremony," Jake explained.

The Salmon Chief stopped before Embry and handed him the spear.

Embry took the spear and I thought I heard sighs of appreciation from the teenage girls in the crowd that ogled him. There were a few giggles behind hands and a lot of blushes. At over six foot tall he was a sight to behold. He was all bulging muscles and beautiful tanned skin. I had to agree with them …. he made an impressive site in his ceremonial outfit.

I looked at Sam, "Is that why Embry looked so queasy at the idea of fish the other night?"

Sam smiled and nodded.

I looked over at Jake, "How did you get out of it?"

Jake gave me a sly smile, "As you have so eloquently pointed out in the past, I am the beta of the pack. I have input on the patrol schedules so I made sure I was on patrol duty during the practice sessions."

"Too bad," I said under my breath as I stared back at Embry again. "I would have loved to seen what you would have looked like in that outfit."

Emily and Rachel laughed at my wistful tone.

Jake looked intrigued, "Well, if that is the case, I could always borrow the outfit from Embry."

I could feel my face heat up, but it wasn't totally from embarrassment. Jake just laughed.

"You may want to disinfect it first," Quil chimed in. "I was at Embry's this morning. Let's just say he had to go commando in that outfit."

"Gross," could be heard through a chorus of laughter and groans of disgust.

Sam shushed us and we watched the Salmon Chief as he walked Embry to the steaming pot and waived the steam around Embry and the spear. That was the signal for some drummers and singers to start chanting.

The Elders and the Chief then escorted Embry to the river as the crowd followed behind.

"We have a similar celebration on the Makah reservation." Emily whispered to me as we walked with the crowd. "We were taught that salmon are a gift from the benevolent salmon king."

Jake added, "According to the legends, salmon were immortal and that in the ocean they took on human form. They were believed to have lived in separate houses according to their species. Every year the salmon king would order the people to clothe themselves in fish skins and go up the river as a present to the Indians. This also ensured the continuity of their races. In honor of the gift, Indians treated the annual arrival of the salmon, in the spring, with great reverence and ceremony."

I looked at Jacob with some amusement. "You can't turn into a salmon as well as a wolf, can you?" I teased.

"Nope, just fur. No gills."

The drums and the chanting were just a faint echo as we stood beside the river. The crowd was very quiet as Embry waded into the water holding the spear aloft.

Embry stood quietly for several minutes looking down in the water. Even from the river bank I could see the abundance of fish swimming through the river. The sun reflected off the water surface and their scales shimmered like dancing lights across the current. For a second I was reminded of Edward's skin in sunlight but quickly shook away the thought.

Embry suddenly stabbed the spear into the water and to the cheers of the crowd pulled out a nice size salmon at the end of his spear. One of the elders took the fish from the spear and the process was repeated until Embry had caught ten nice size salmon.

The crowd returned to the clearing and the fish were placed upon a make shift table. The Salmon King and the elders then chanted over the fish and cleaned the fish. I saw them throw the bones in the steaming pot.

Jake explained, "The heads of the fish are kept and will be placed so that they point upriver to show the salmon's spirit the way home. The cleaned bones are returned to the river, so the salmon can come back together and continue its journey."

After the bones were put into the river, Billy announced to the crowd, "We would now like to invite you to the reservation meeting hall to share the first salmon of the season and some pot luck items that people have graciously donated for the occasion."

The crowd clapped and then started to disperse to their cars.

I noticed that a few of the teenage girls were hanging back to mill around Embry. He looked a bit embarrassed by the attention.

I nudged Jake's shoulder, "Check Embry out."

A beautiful Quileute girl got bolder than the rest and ran a finger around the pack tattoo on his shoulder as she flirted with him.

Jake laughed and Quil said, "Too bad Jake. Looks like Faith has finally given up on you and set her sights on Embry."

I looked at Jake in surprise. He blushed a bit and then sent a killing look at Quil.

Quil just laughed an evil laugh and then he and Paul walked over to Embry and the girls. It was too difficult to give up the opportunity to tease him in front of his fan club. I saw Paul grab for Embry's deerskin kilt and could just make out the word commando before Embry dodged his hand and shoved him off. They started racing after each other in the clearing which set the girls off in a peal of giggles around them.

"Faith, huh?"

Jake froze and didn't say anything. I raised an eyebrow and he grabbed my hand as we walked towards his Rabbit.

I realized I was jealous. Seriously jealous.

"So, did you and Faith ever hook up?" My voice hit a high note on the end of the sentence and I think I even popped the letter "p" on the word "up".

"No."

"But she wanted to?"

"Yeah, I guess, but I was never interested." He opened the door but trapped me between the car and his body. He looked into my eyes and said, "You see, all I could think of was a brown haired pale face with the most beautiful brown eyes."

I blushed and reached up to kiss his beautiful lips, "You are good Jacob Black. Very, very good."

 **A/N** – This is my first fanfiction and now I have a new appreciation for authors' notes requesting reviews. I have now learned all the stats that the system provides on traffic on the story and the anticipation of someone providing any type of review on the story, the quality of the writing, dialogue, pacing, etc. I also understand why they say it is motivating. So here is a heartfelt request for reviews. Please tell me what you think.


	5. Chapter 5 - Calm Before the Storm

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – This ceremony is made up and doesn't exist as written, however, it is based on a few traditions I read about on the internet. Don't slam me for taking some artistic license to put a hot guy in leather skirt.

 **Chapter 5 – Calm Before the Storm**

I got lost in the routine of school, my job and the volunteer work at the reservation. Last fall I had started to help Emily cook and deliver food to some of the shut-ins or families that needed a little extra help every once in a while.

"Bella, thanks for bringing the fish. Mrs. Tallneck will love the fishbake."

"Are you kidding me? She's doing me a favor! Charlie catches them faster than I can cook them. I swear if I eat another fish I'm going to grow gills."

Emily laughed.

"Seriously, I love the opportunity to free up some space in the freezer for something that clucks or goes moo every once in a while."

Sam and the guys came through the kitchen door just as we finished packing the meals into coolers for delivery. Sam made a beeline for Emily and pulled her into his arms as he bussed little kisses all over her face paying particular attention to the scarred side. His hand strayed down to her belly in a caressing motion. It was so sweet and intimate I had to look away so I didn't feel like I was invading their private moment. The other guys weren't quite as sensitive.

There were some cat calls from the older guys and gagging sounds from the new pups as the older guys liked to teasingly call them. Leah walked in as Sam was kissing Emily and immediately walked back out. Despite our differences, my heart ached for what she was going through.

Jake walked in and pulled me in for a long deep kiss. Now I was hot from my face down to below my belt. You would have thought it had been months instead of hours since we last saw each other. There were a few yells from the house, "Get a room!"

We pulled back and laughed. I didn't care. I missed him and I was glad he could show he missed me too.

"What's for dinner?" Embry called from the living room as the guys started playing one of the video games in front of the television.

"Yeah, I'm starving!"

Yells of agreement could be heard from the rest of the Pack.

"You guys have homes of your own, you know." Sam yelled back in exasperation.

"Yeah, but Emily and Bella cook better than our moms," one voice sheepishly replied. There was another round of agreement.

"Fish tacos," Emily said long since resigned to her unofficial position as the Pack den mother and cook. "It's Bella's recipe from Arizona and she donated the fish from Charlie's stock."

Everyone seemed okay with the menu.

Emily yelled out to the boys, "If you guys want to eat here, then you have to help put the coolers into Sam's truck."

The guys were engrossed in the video game so I grabbed one of the coolers and walked outside. I dropped the cooler in the bed of Sam's pick up when I heard Leah's voice behind me.

"You know, it won't change anything."

Leah sat on a lawn chair near Emily's garden and she wore her habitual sneer of contempt.

"What?" I had no idea what she meant.

"Bella, it won't make a difference."

"What are you talking about?"

"The cooking for the shut-ins. The tutoring at the reservation school. Playing den mother to that pack of mongrels inside. No matter how much you try to show them your worth it won't make the imprinting happen."

"That's not what I'm doing!"

"Really?" I could feel my face blush as she raised an eyebrow in scorn.

I stood shocked.

She looked away from me and I could see the hint of tears out of the corner of her eye, "But take it from me; be happy you can get out of this screwed up reality. Run. Make a life for yourself away from this supernatural shit. Find a guy who will love you without wanting to suck the life out of you or set you up in a house popping out a litter of puppies."

Before I could respond, Quil and Embry came out with the rest of the coolers like they weighed nothing and loaded them into Sam's truck. Oblivious to the tension, they jumped into the cab. "Emily, told us to deliver these for you, Bella. Don't let Jake eat all the tacos."

Leah was already gone when I looked back at the lawn chair.

I walked back into the house in a daze.

"Something wrong?" Emily asked.

"No." I grabbed a knife and chopped vegetables for the taco toppings and the salad. I looked up from the cutting board and stared at Jake tapping away at the video controller in the living room. I tried to shake off Leah's words but they lingered.

By the time Quil and Embry walked through the door, dinner was ready and we called the guys into Emily and Sam's tiny kitchen which felt even smaller by the massive size of the guys that sat around the kitchen table.

I watched them as dinner turned into a free for all. It was one part family and one part _Lord of the Flies_ despite Emily's attempts to civilize them. The guys learned early that the slow go hungry. Paul received puncture marks when he reached across the table for another taco and got in the way of Quil's fork. Quil didn't even look guilty at the sight of the puncture wounds.

"Hey!" Paul yelled.

"You shouldn't have gotten in the way," Quil smirked.

Paul glared at him and the wounds healed by the time he successfully retrieved another taco.

Once dinner was finished, the guys good naturedly cleaned off the table and took care of the dishes. It was late and I needed to do some reading for classes the next day.

"Jake, I'm going to take off."

"Hold up a sec. I'll walk you out."

We walked to my truck and I leaned back against the bed of the vehicle. It was a beautiful night. The clouds had cleared up from earlier in the day and I caught a glimpse of the stars. The lack of ambient light made them look like diamonds on black velvet.

Jake came close and nuzzled the side of my neck. I turned my head, brought his lips to mine and kissed him for all that I was worth. He lifted me up a bit so my weight was resting higher on the truck and in a way that made our hips aligned. He ground our hips together as we kissed and we both groaned a bit.

One of the guys made a cat call from the window and we realized we had an audience.

Jake cursed as he tightened his hold for a second and then let me slide down his body so my feet touched the ground again.

"No privacy with the pack," I muttered.

"Nope. Hey, did you give what I said at the bonfire any more thought?" He whispered.

"You mean the fact that your Dad is going to be out of town and your house will be empty?"

He nodded and then spread little kisses on my cheek, my nose and then on my forehead.

"How about I take you out to dinner on Saturday night and we discuss it over some candlelight?"

I kissed him again and said, "It's a date."

He stepped away and I opened the driver's side door. I propped my elbow through the open window and stopped before I got fully situated into the truck.

"Speaking of the bonfire, what ever happened to the scent that Brady caught? You guys have phased since then. Did you recognize the scent?"

Jake's carefree looked disappeared, "Yeah….it turned out to be nothing; probably just an old scent trail."

I wanted to ask more questions but I could tell from his expression that he wouldn't say anything more.

"Bells, did Leah say something to you before dinner? You seemed a bit quiet."

I didn't want to start any problems. Tensions were already high enough with Leah and the rest of the guys. "No, she was questioning me about some of the things I've been helping out with on the reservation."

"Did I tell you how sweet I think it is how you have gotten so involved out here?"

I smiled wanly and got into the car.

"It's nothing. I really enjoy it." I did but now I felt guilty as Leah's words echoed in my mind. "Well, I better get going."

The problem with long drives alone was the lack of distractions. There was nothing to block Leah's earlier words. Could she be right? Was I over compensating in the hope that Jake and the rest of the Pack would see me as good for Jake? Good enough to part of the Pack family?

I knew that Charlie's and Renee's divorce left their scars. Until I met Edward and his family I didn't realize how much I had yearned to be part of something bigger than myself. For most of my life I had felt like the outsider looking in through the window; first with the Cullen's and now with Jake and the Pack. Were my attempts to work with Emily, the Pack, and the programs at the reservation a futile attempt to feel like I belonged? I remembered how everyone welcomed Grace as Brady's imprint at the bonfire. She didn't have to do anything to be accepted but be herself.

 _You're not good for me._ Those words still haunted me. I really knew they meant. I wasn't good enough. Maybe I wasn't good enough to be an imprint.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	6. Chapter 6 - Strange Phone Calls

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you harleymaria, Konohashinobi07 and the guest that took the time to leave a review. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. I don't want to disappoint anyone but this story is ultimately going to be a Bella/Edward pairing. I had the idea for this story based on what would have happened if Bella had chosen Jacob at any point when he hadn't imprinted on her – whether it could work out based on the canon of the book and movie. I hope you will give the story a chance.

 **Chapter 6 - Strange Phone Calls**

The next few days things felt off. Jake took on more patrols but he would usually stop by most evenings before he started his run.

He hadn't mentioned any more sightings but he was a bit jumpier than usual. I didn't want to add to his burden but I kept getting this feeling that someone was watching me. I knew it was better if I told Jake that it felt like someone was watching the house for Charlie's safety if not my own. My paranoia increased when I started to receive hang up phone calls.

The first one was a week after the first salmon ceremony. I was cooking dinner for Charlie and the phone rang. I picked up the receiver but there was nothing but silence on the other end.

"Hello…..hello."

Still nothing.

"Hello?" I tried one more time. There was a slight pause and then a click and the drone of the dial tone.

I received three more hang ups in as many days and then it happened when Jacob was in the house. He grabbed the phone from me and just listened. Again the caller hung up without saying anything.

Jacob looked angry but he didn't say anything. He helped me move the food I had been cooking for supper to the table. I thought I heard him mutter, "Damn blood suckers."

I looked at him in surprise, "You don't think Victoria would actually call the house do you?"

Before he could answer, Charlie walked in and we all sat down together at the kitchen table. The mood must have been catchy because we hardly exchanged a word with each other during dinner. Everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts.

Later that night, Jake and I sat on the couch watched a movie. Charlie had left the house to visit Sue Clearwater.

I tried to bring up the Victoria question again but Jacob said he wanted to talk about something else. There was an urgency to his voice as if time was running out on him. "Quil and I were talking about what we're going to do after graduation. "

This was so not what I thought he was going to say. I had stayed local so we could continue to see each other. I wondered if Jake was now thinking of going away to college. He had finally caught up with school from the time he had missed after first phasing.

I knew his grades and college entrance exam scores were high so he had a good chance at a good school and even scholarships. There was no reason he couldn't decide to go off to a major University in or out of state. The worry that he wanted to leave me made me forget about my questions about Victoria.

Jake had hinted at a future but we hadn't discussed what he might want to do after graduation.

"You know there is only one option in this town for car repairs and he is a total rip off. Thanks to Charlie and a few other people's word of mouth, I've been getting a lot of repair work on the side. Quil and I were talking about opening our own shop." He looked at me as if he was gauging my reaction.

"I think that's a great idea. It's something you are really good at and you seem to enjoy it."

"I thought I could take some vocational classes at Port Angeles to get certified and then some businesses classes at the college so I can learn how to run my own business. We figured we could start building up the business on the side."

He still looked nervous.

"Bells, I know we haven't really talked about this but I want us to have a future. I know _he_ had so much more to offer you."

"Jake, I don't care about money," I protested. He had brought up Edward and the Cullens a lot lately and I didn't know why.

"I know that. But you turned down a scholarship to a bigger school in Oregon to stay here and give us a chance. I want you to know that no matter what I do, I will always be there for you and I will support you. I once made a promise to you that I would never hurt you and I want you to know that I will keep that promise. Do you think you can see yourself building a life with me? I don't want you to feel like I'm holding you back."

"Aw, Jake, you aren't holding me back. I've been thinking a lot about what I want to do and I think I want to teach."

"Really?"

"Do you think the reservation school could use another teacher?"

His smile could have lit up the room. "They would be damn lucky to have you."

He gathered me up in his arms and I could feel the pieces of my life falling into place. Sometimes it felt so easy.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Wedding

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – This ceremony is made up and doesn't exist as written.

 **Chapter 7 - The Wedding**

"Hey, kid," Charlie said as he walked through the kitchen. He stopped dead in his tracks and stared.

"I knew it. I look bad don't I?"

Charlie just stared some more. I looked so horrible that I had made my father speechless.

Crap, crap, crap. If this looked bad, I didn't know what I was going to wear to the wedding. I barely had enough money for this dress so I didn't have a back-up plan.

I started to sprint for the stairs in a panic when Charlie's voice stopped me. "Bells, you look stunning."

I slowly turned back around to look at Charlie on the landing. I smoothed down the golden textured bottom half of the dress I had purchased in Port Angeles. The dress was like a strapless sheath gown with a choker collar attached to the dress by a vertical strip of material covered in black and gold beads that made it look more like one large necklace rather than beaded material. It fit like a second skin so it wasn't something I would have normally bought.

I smiled shyly. "Really? You think Jake will like it."

Charlie's brows descended and his expression was pure protective father.

"He better not like it too much," he muttered under his breath.

I laughed. I noticed he was wearing his uniform. "Dad, when are you getting ready? You don't have a lot of time before we have to be at the La Push beach."

"I can't come but please tell Emily and Sam I wish them the best."

"I thought you were going to the wedding with Sue."

"I was. Then Deputy Bob's wife went into labor. Tom is on vacation so I have to take the day and night shift."

"Are you sure you aren't just trying to duck out of wearing a suit."

"I'm not saying that I'm going to miss the suit, but I feel bad making Sue go on her own."

Jakes voice came from the front doorway, "Don't worry, Charlie. My Dad is going to take your place."

Charlie did not look pleased about this turn of events. "Super."

I came down the stairs to greet Jake and he just stared. Charlie didn't look pleased about that either.

"Wow…."

I smiled, "You like?"

"I like!"

Charlie snapped his fingers in front of Jake's dazed eyes, "I expect her home in the same condition she left in."

Jake just kept staring at me, "Sure, sure, Charlie."

Charlie looked like he wanted to say something else but just rolled his eyes, grabbed his jacket and headed for the front door.

"Bells, you look beautiful."

I stepped closer to Jake, "Really?"

"Really," he said as he bent down to kiss me.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, running my fingers through the back of his hair as he kissed me. His hands burned on the expanse of bare back displayed due to the choker collar neck line.

"No bra," Jake said more as statement then a question.

"Couldn't in this dress."

"Ok, we _really_ need to leave."

"Why?"

"If we don't leave now, I'm going to see just what else you aren't wearing under that dress."

I reluctantly let him go. I grabbed my dress coat and we left.

xxxxxxxxx

Emily had picked a beautiful spot for the wedding near where the pack held the bonfires. In fact, the fire pit was set up with a small version of the normal bonfire I was used to. A pergola was set up beside the fire pit.

"Wow, it looks beautiful."

"The guys and I met this morning to help set everything up. Not an easy thing to do with a hangover."

I admired the wood structure decorated with carvings and scraps of red silk and flowers.

"Sam built the pergola a few weeks ago."

"The carvings are incredible. Are those whales, eagles and wolves?"

Jake nodded and I could see a bit of pride on his face.

"Sam wanted to incorporate things that were important to the Quileute and Makah to honor both his and Emily's tribal traditions. They plan to put it in the garden behind their house after they use it for the wedding."

"Well, it's really beautiful."

"I helped the guys set up the chairs for the guest seating this afternoon."

"Don't tell me you guys did the flowers and the bows as well?"

He laughed, "No, the girls decorated the pergola with the flowers and the material. If it had been left to us you might have found Paul's dirty underwear hanging down. He was such a dick last night."

I smiled in all the right places but I was a little hurt that no one had asked me to help. I went to Emily's for an impromptu bridal shower the night before while Jake and the guys threw Sam a bachelor party. No one had mentioned getting together today to decorate for the ceremony.

Thirty minutes later, the ceremony started. Jake held my hand as we stood with a crowd of fifty or so of Sam and Emily's friends and family around the fire pit to watch them take their vows. Emily wore a non-traditional white gown but it was subtly beaded with traditional tribal shapes and designs. She found a harmonious way to blend the old traditions with the modern. Her hair was down and parted on the side so a heavy waterfall of long bangs partially shadowed the scarred side of her face while accentuating the unscarred. She looked radiant.

Sam, in a dark suit, stared at her as if she was his true north. I widened my eyes and then blinked a few times trying to force back the tears I felt welling up. I wanted what Emily had. I wanted to know that the man I loved would love me and cherish me forever. Jake squeezed my hand when he saw a tear escape.

The ceremony started with the exchange of contemporary wedding vows, each promising to love, honor and cherish the other until parted by death. Then they exchanged more traditional vows and gifts.

"Emily, take this feather as a sign of my love and loyalty to you and to our future family."

"Sam, take this corn in the hope that we will have many children to love and cherish." There was a bit of snickering at that. Evidently the cat was out of the bag about the baby.

"Take this rock as a symbol of the strength of our love. May it endure to the day we no longer take a breath on this earth and beyond."

I scanned the crowd and saw Leah as she looked down at her feet at the vows. I knew this must be killing her. As if she sensed my gaze, she looked up. I tried to give her a reassuring smile but she just scowled at me.

I looked back to the ceremony. By this time, Emily's mother and Old Quil each handed Emily and Sam a piece of kindling burning at the end. The Celebrant then said, "Take this fire as a sign of your separate life forces becoming one." With that they took their kindling to the small fire pit and dropped it on the stack of wood and flames shot up creating one large fire. The firelight made their skin glow as Sam kissed Emily and the Celebrant pronounced them husband and wife.

I could barely hear Emily's mother over the clapping and cheering. She waived her hands for quiet and then invited everyone for some food and drinks while the happy couple and family took pictures.

Jacob and a few of the guys helped move Billy and then we followed the crowd to the community center which was also decorated in Emily's bridal colors of white and red. We grabbed our name cards and went in search of our assigned table when we spied Quil chasing after his imprint and lone flower girl, Claire. She darted around the tables and then crawled under the tables scattered through the room as she evaded Quil's long reach.

"Claire-bear, Emily is going to kill me if I let you get that pretty red dress dirty."

"But I want to play in my fort, Quill" the adorable four year old entreated as she peaked up from under the table.

Quill gave up and let her play in the "fort" the table cloth made over one of the round tables.

"Doesn't Claire have to take pictures?"

Emily had eschewed having bridesmaids because she would have had to ask Leah. She knew how much that would have hurt Leah so she settled on having just her niece as a flower girl.

"Too much sugar this morning so Emily said to let her run off some steam. They took pictures before the ceremony and she said they might try to get a couple with her later." Claire came out from her 'fort' with her curls askew and a smudge of dust down one cheek. "Or maybe, not."

We laughed.

Quil looked at Claire so indulgently; Jake couldn't help but say, "If you're this whipped now, what are you going to be like when she's 19?"

Quil shot him a dirty look, "Your time will come."

I felt a little pang at his unthinking comment.

Jake shot him a dirty look and Quill looked at me apologetically. Jake tried to cover it up by asking, "Would you like something to drink?"

"Sure. How about some white wine?"

Jake glared at Quill and stalked off to get some drinks.

"Sorry, Bella."

"No, no, don't worry about it." I looked around the community hall as I tried to find something innocuous to talk about, "The room looks great. Did you guys set this up this morning as well?"

"Yeah, we put together the tables and then Rachel, Kim and Grace put up the decorations and the flowers."

Ah…the imprints.

"Sam did a great job with the pergola. The carvings were amazing."

"Most of the credit really goes to Billy and Jake. They did most of the intricate animal carvings."

I felt for the wolf carving on my wrist. I didn't want to take it off but it really didn't look right as a necklace with the dress. So I put it on a charm bracelet that Charlie gave me as a Christmas gift years ago. I traced the swirls and indents of my small wolf and was amazed again at how talented Jake was. He was an artist with mechanical devices and now wood.

Jake came back the table with our drinks. He looked incredible in his suit and tie. It was a big difference from the boy that showed up in jeans at my high school dance with his white button down and borrowed tie. He handed Quill a beer and sat down beside me draping his arm behind my back and over my chair trailing his fingers along my bare back. I couldn't hold back a shiver and Jake just smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me you helped carve the figures on the pergola?"

Jake looked embarrassed. "It's a tradition that my Dad thought I should learn."

"You are a really talented artist, Jake." I held up my hand and he saw that I was wore his wolf on my bracelet.

He shrugged off the compliment but he seemed happy to see that I wore his gift. "I figured it was good practice." He looked at me meaningfully. Then I realized he meant for us. I melted inside. I leaned in and kissed him.

"If I had known what a turn on my wood carving skills were going to be to you, I would have had Dad show me how to do it a lot sooner."

I bumped my shoulder in to his and he grabbed my hand. "Come on. Let's dance."

The reception was a lot of fun. Jake normally didn't like to dance but he was a great sport and joined in the electric slide and the chicken dance with the other guys. As the night progressed, the songs got slower and slower. Jake and I shuffled around the dance floor. We didn't care that we lacked grace. We just enjoyed being in each others arms as we rocked slowly from side to side,

Jake stared at me as I ran my fingers through the back of his hair. I could have drowned in his eyes. I felt so close to him at that moment. Our breathing was almost in sync. He slowly lowered his head and gave me a toe curling kiss. I started to forget where we were until the DJ called out that it was time to see off the bride and groom.

Emily and Sam hugged their family goodbye and made their way to Sam's car which the guys had snuck out of the reception, earlier, to decorate with a variety of embarrassing slogans and novelty items. Sam looked irritated but Emily just laughed. They were off to their honeymoon in San Francisco for a week.

Jake kept me anchored to his side as we waived off the happy couple. His hand rubbed up and down my arm making me feel warm and cherished. When the last of their tail lights disappeared into the night, Jake turned to me and stared at me intently.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

He looked so serious. I matched his look and said, "Yes."

Jake drove me home. He held my hand but was quiet throughout the drive to my house. He parked the car and went around the vehicle to open my door. He had the door half way open when he suddenly stiffened. He looked around the inky darkness.

"What? Is something wrong?"

He held his finger up and I stopped talking. He stared intently at the tree line behind my house. He finally turned around and helped me out of the car. "No. Just thought I heard something." I leaned me against the side of the car and then he picked me up in his strong arms. He kissed me for all that he was worth. After some passionate moments, he slowly lowered me by sliding me down his body. He knew how much I loved when he did that. I couldn't get close enough.

He was breathing hard as he grabbed my hand and we went into the house. I don't know if it was the wedding or just wanting some reassurance that we were solid but instead of moving into the living room like we normally did I held his hand and led him up the stairs to my room.

He ran his big hands in circles on the outer part of my shoulders, "You looked incredible tonight. Like a dream."

The ring of the phone broke us apart. I grabbed the portable phone on my desk, "Hello?"

"Hi, just wanted to make sure you got home safely. How was the wedding?"

"Hi, Dad. It was really nice. I wish you could have been there."

"Me too. How was Sue? Billy didn't try to put the moves on her did he?"

I couldn't help but laugh at his jealous tone. "No, Dad, Billy was a perfect gentleman."

Jake laughed, hearing the entire conversation, "Is that Jake?"

"Yes, and he told me to tell you that he has dropped me off in the same state he picked me up in as directed."

Jake smirked as my Dad muttered something about his gun and a smart ass kid.

"I'll see you in the morning, Dad."

Charlie reminded me to lock the doors before I went to sleep and hung up.

"Did you really need to say that? I'm pretty sure as chief of police he could cover up my death as a freak gun cleaning accident."

"Well, you did bring me home in the same state you picked me up in."

Jake turned serious, "I don't think I'm going to be able to leave you in that same state." He grabbed me and tumbled me onto the bed. I giggled until the kisses drove the humor away and only brought on white hot need.

Jake groaned, "I can't stay."

I looked up in some surprise. "I have to relieve Brady from patrol with Sam gone."

We both straitened our clothes and I walked Jake downstairs and to the front steps. He gave me one last kiss that made me want to drag him back inside. He reluctantly let me go and took off down the street.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	8. Chapter 8 - Who Is Knocking On My Window

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to the guest reviewers that left reviews. I really appreciate the feedback.

 **Chapter 8 – Who Is Knocking On My Window**

Later that night I woke up disoriented.

 _Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

My first thought was Victoria which made my heart race in fear. I laid as still as possible but my heart was pounding so hard I could hear the beat and the whooshing in my ears from the Adrenalin rush.

 _Thump-thump._

I remembered that Charlie wasn't home. My first reaction was fear at being alone in the house. Then I was thankful that if it was Victoria, at least Charlie would be safe.

 _Thump-thump-thump._

I suddenly realized that the sound was gravel being thrown against my window.

I got out of bed and cautiously lifted the corner of my curtain so I could look out without it being obvious to anyone that might be looking up. I let out the breath I had been holding when I made out Jake's outline in the dark.

"Bella," Jake's voice called out in what amounted to a loud whisper.

I slid my window open and poked my head out. "What are you doing here?"

He looked agitated, "Are you alone?"

"Do you mean Charlie? You know he's working the night shift. What's going on Jake?" I looked at my clock on my nightstand, "It's 3:00 a.m."

"Step back, I'm coming up."

A few seconds later Jake jumped through the window after leveraging off the tree and the side of the house. How did he do that? The moves were so graceful they almost looked balletic.

"You know you could have used the front door."

He was bare chested and breathing hard as he looked around the room as if expecting to see someone hiding in the corner or a closet.

"What's going on, Jake?"

"We caught a scent when we were on patrol. It led towards your house. I just wanted to make sure everything is ok."

My heart skipped a beat, "Was it Victoria?"

"No, it wasn't Victoria."

"But it was the same scent that Brady picked up the night of the bonfire?"

He was quiet for a second and then he said, "Yes, it was the same scent."

"Should I be worried?"

He gathered me into his arms and held me tight. "No! No. I would never let anything happen to you."

I felt warm and safe and I never wanted him to let me go. He didn't understand that I desperately wanted to make sure nothing happened to him as well. I felt like I brought danger to everyone around me.

"Don't ever leave me Bells. I don't know if I could take it." He whispered into my hair.

I was surprised at his words. I didn't understand why he was talking about me leaving him. I wedged my arms in between us and pushed on his chest so I could see his face. "Jake, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you."

He gathered me back into his embrace and rubbed his cheek on the top of my head. "I need you so much. I don't think I could handle it if I lost you."

"Are you worried about Victoria?"

He abruptly let me go. "It's not Victoria. Forget I said anything." He turned his back to me and looked out the window.

Jake wasn't an insecure person. I loved his confidence so his behavior over the last few weeks was kind of unusual. I came up behind him and put my arms around his waist and rested my check against his tanned back.

"I love you too Jake. You're my sun. I don't think I could survive without the sun."

He spun around and kissed me with almost a sense of desperation. It didn't take long before I was kissing him back with as much fervor.

He stopped and looked at me intently, "When I watched Sam and Emily saying their vows all I could picture was you and me some day. I love you so much, Bella."

I leaned up to capture his lips again. And in that kiss, I could picture it too. A life together. I could see two dark haired toddlers running after Jake in the front yard of a house with Charlie and Billy sitting around laughing at the antics of their grandchildren. It really was as easy as breathing.

He groaned into my mouth and continued to kiss me as he walked me backwards until I felt my calves bump against the side rail of my bed. He gently pushed me back and he bore most of his weight with his palms on each side of me on the mattress as he hovered above me. I got into a more comfortable position on the bed and pulled him to me so I could feel every inch of his body against mine.

"Warm, so warm." I murmured as I kissed along his jaw and down his neck.

His lips were buried in my neck. I heard him take a deep breath and say, "Mine."

His words caused a burning sensation in my body. My hands explored his back as I clutched at each muscle, using him to leverage myself against him and rub all the places that ached for him.

Jake pulled back. I made a sound to show my displeasure until I realized he only stopped so he could slide his hands under the spandex tank top I had worn to bed and inch it upwards. He looked at my reaction to see if I would stop him. I put my hands over his and pushed them under the tank top. With a smile, he shifted his lower body off to the side of the bed so he could touch the skin he had just uncovered near my belly button. He dropped kisses on my lower abdomen and I felt the muscles ripple in response to his tongue.

I couldn't stop my hands from clutching his hair. I groaned as he slowly worked his way upwards until his talented mouth and tongue were near my breasts. He gave me another look and then tugged at the tank top. I sat forward and raised my hands to help him take it off.

He stopped and stared for a moment. I blushed at being so exposed but got over it when Jake said, "You are so beautiful." He slowly ran his hand from my waist and abdomen, up to my ribs and then his huge hands cupped my breasts. His hands were so large I felt so small in comparison. But he seemed satisfied with his handful. The warmth of his hands scorched me and my back arched up silently asking him for more.

He took his hand away and put his hand behind my back so my breasts were lifted to his mouth. He laved at my right nipple. He must have thought the other was jealous because he graciously gave it equal time and attention. I thought I was going to come apart just from the sensation of his mouth sucking on each nipple.

He worked his way back up to my lips and I enjoyed the sensation of our bear chests against each other. I reveled in the contrast of the soft against the rock hard. My nipples were like small pebbles and I couldn't stop myself from rubbing them against his chest from side to side.

He whispered, "Mine," again, against my lips and then swiped his tongue along the seam of my lips until I opened my mouth and let his tongue in.

I pushed at his shoulders and he pulled away with a question in his eyes. "Roll on to your back." He did what I asked and now it was my turn. It was my turn to run my tongue down his neck. It was my turn to explore his pectoral muscles first with my hands and then with my lips. I kissed his pecks and licked around each side of a nipple. I could hear his moan as I sucked each nipple until it was as pebble hard as my own.

I crawled down his chest and placed kisses, licks and little bites from his pectoral muscles to his abs. My tongue followed the central ridge his eight-pack made on his stomach. I explored his belly button and I could not resist sucking on the little peak his pelvic bones made on his upper hips. I sucked on each one and gave them a knibble. His hips rose off the bed and I smiled in delight.

His hands tangled in my hair. I stroked him through his shorts and Jake abruptly rolled me back over and got off the bed. He pulled me up so we were standing face to…. well pectoral muscles. He put his hands on my waist and I let him slide my underwear down until I was fully exposed to his heated gaze. He looked at me from my pink painted toe nails up to my finger mussed hair. "You are more beautiful than anything I have ever seen in my life."

My eyes teared up at the emotion in his voice. I placed my palms flat against the top of his chest and slid them down to the buckle of his shorts. I unsnapped the top of his shorts and carefully drew the zipper down to free him without hurting him.

"Commando?" I smiled.

"You have to be a minimalist when you are forced to strap your clothes to your ankle."

I tugged down his shorts and they dropped once I got them past his hips. He was all tawny skin and rippled muscle. He was the epitome of raw male sexuality and right now he was mine. He was quite simply, beautiful.

This wasn't the first time we had been to this stage of undress or touching. But this time I was more aware that there was no need to worry about someone banging on a car window or a parent walking in at an inopportune moment.

As we faced each other, each vulnerable in our nakedness, he put his hands under my chin and raised my face so I had to look him in the eyes. "I don't want to stop tonight. I want you. I want you to belong to me and I want to belong to you in every sense of the word."

I hesitated and finally said what felt like my failure, "You haven't imprinted on me."

"Bella, I've told you…..if I haven't imprinted on you then it's not going to happen for me. We don't know everything about imprinting. We aren't positive why it happens or if it always happens. All I can tell you is that I know you are the one for me. I knew it when I was four and I know it now."

I desperately wanted to believe him.

"I feel like I have been obsessed with you my whole life. Bella, I have loved you since we were little kids and we made mud pies together. I loved you when you showed up with those beat up motorcycles and conned me into rebuilding those two-wheel death machines. I loved you more the day you said you would go to college in Port Angeles to give us a chance. When will you see how much I love you?"

I blushed at the intensity of his words. "Bella Marie Swan, I know you may not be ready to hear this but I plan on spending the rest of my life with you. The legends don't say that every pack member will find their imprint. If I haven't imprinted on _you_ , then I know it isn't going to happen." And with those words, his lips crushed mine and he put every ounce of feeling he could into the kiss.

He took my face in huge hands. "I love you." I could hear the sincerity in his voice. "I don't know how else to say it, how else to show it. Tell me what I can say or do that will prove to you that you can count on me." He looked at me with so much intensity as he said, "I swear I will never leave. I will never hurt you."

I looked into his eyes and I knew I could see my future. I reached up and pressed my lips against his and let him feel all the emotions that I had been holding back. I let go of all my fears and all my doubts and I lost myself in the warmth of his body, the taste of his lips, and the feel of the desire.

 **XXXX**

I listened as our breathing slowed down and the reality of what we had done sank in. That was it. I was no longer a virgin. We had made love. Jacob rolled over on to his side and looked at me apprehensively.

"Are you okay?"

I gave him a tremulous smile. "Sure. Sure." I wasn't sure but I didn't want to ruin the moment with my doubts and insecurities.

He caressed my cheek and pushed my sweat dampened hair behind my ear, "Was it alright?"

Having nothing to compare it to, I didn't know what to say. He looked at me with hopeful puppy dog eyes, so I sought to reassure him, "Of course it was. Better than alright. It was perfect." I gave him a shy smile. And it was. What we lacked in skill and finesse we made up for in enthusiasm.

He looked a bit smug as he gathered me up in his warm arms and hugged me to his chest. "Can't….breathe." He laughed and loosened his grip. He got out of bed to go to the bathroom to dispose of things and clean up. He brought a wash cloth back with him and tenderly wiped the evidence of my virginity away. He dropped the wash cloth in the laundry basket and stopped by the window and stared out.

I was awed at how comfortable he was with his nudity. He was truly magnificent. He stared out into the night and I thought I heard him whisper, "She's mine now."

He climbed back into my bed and we giggled as he tried to maneuver his massive frame into a comfortable spot on my little twin bed. He spooned behind me and I squirmed into his chest to get comfortable. He groaned and I suddenly realized that all my movements were getting him aroused again. I flipped over to face him and his lips crushed down on mine.

"Again?"

I could hear the smile in his voice when he said, "Oh, yeah. I have a lot of time to make up for." He reached for a packet that I had placed in my night stand after a mortifying talk with Charlie which came with the foiled "gifts" and a can of pepper spray. _Just in case Bella._

"You'll have to thank Charlie for me for being prepared."

"Yeah, I think I'll let you take care of that. We'll see if you like being the only neutered wolf in the pack."

He hugged me and laughed and the sensation of his body moving against mine soon chased any thought of neutered wolves and parents out of my head.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Morning After

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to those who reviewed. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing.

 **Chapter 9** \- **Morning After**

The next morning I got out of bed to jump in the shower. I felt sorer than I expected. I guess that was to be expected when your boyfriend was 6'7 and built like a pro linebacker. Thinking of Jacob's body and what I had done to it the night before made me giggle a bit. I knew I was blushing as I walked gingerly to the bathroom.

I looked at myself in the mirror and was surprised I looked the same as yesterday. I expected to look different, older somehow. Instead, I just looked disheveled and a bit guilty. Would Charlie be able to see what we had done by just looking at my face? I took another look at my forehead. Nope, there was no tattoo proclaiming my new sexual status.

I didn't know why I was beating myself up. Jacob and I were in love and in a committed relationship. We were planning a future together. A physical relationship was just the next natural step for us to take. If I compared myself to my peers, I knew that I was way behind the "loss of virginity" curve. Still, I wasn't looking forward to sitting across from Charlie at breakfast this morning. I heard him come in an hour after Jake snuck out. I knew he liked to wind down after a night shift but maybe the fates had been kind and Charlie went straight to bed this time.

I walked into the kitchen and realized I was forever Fate's bitch. Charlie was at the breakfast table having some coffee and reading the paper. Charlie looked up from his paper and gave me his best stern parental stare. "You look tired. Did you stay up late last night?"

I grabbed a bowl and some cereal from the cabinets and the milk from the fridge. I sat down across from Charlie and poured some cereal into the bowl as I answered. "Uh, yeah. Jake stayed and we watched a movie so I went to bed a bit later than normal."

Charlie continued to look at me. He really missed his calling in Forks, I thought as I took a mouthful of cereal. He had the interrogation stare down to a science. _Stop blushing. Stop blushing._ Charlie finally went back to his paper and just said, "Hmm."

That 'hmm' just made me feel more judged and guilty. I took a couple of bites of cereal when he said behind his paper, "It says here that you got your V-card swiped last night."

I spit a mouth full of Cheerios out and squeaked, "What?"

Charlie dropped the paper a few inches and looked at me funny as he repeated what he had said. "It says here that the Victory statue was swiped last night. You know; that statue in the Port Angeles town square. "

I just stared at him in relief. _Damn guilty conscience._ I quickly mopped up the mess I just made and mumbled, "Who would do such a thing?" I didn't really care but it gave me something to say as I lectured myself. _Get a grip, Bella._

Before Charlie could speculate on the Port Angeles' crime element, my cell phone rang. I grabbed it from the charger.

"Hey, Bells." Jacob's booming voice greeted me on the other side of the line.

"If that's Jake, tell him to stop keeping you up all night."

"Daaaaaaaaaaad." I groaned. I felt like I had "tramp" stamped on my forehead. I heard Jake chuckling on the other end of the line.

I excused myself and took the phone up to my room.

"Hi, Jake," I said softly, surprised at how shy I felt. If this is what it was going to be like over the phone, I knew I was going to be beet red when I saw him in person.

"Tell Charlie to tell his daughter to stop keeping me up all night."

I blushed but giggled at the double entendre.

"I miss you."

I heard a chorus of "miss you's" from some of his friends in the background as they made fun of him. He told them to shut the hell up.

I smiled and something inside my chest felt warm and soft. "I miss you too. Will I see you later?"

"Absolutely. I'm driving Quil and Embry over to the Makah reservation to drop Quil off to his cousins. They just moved back and this is the first time Quil has seen them since they were little kids. The whole family is having a barbecue later this afternoon. His Mom is already over there helping them get set up and he needed a ride. I'll give you a call when we get back and maybe you can come over tonight."

With some excitement Jake said, "Billy's and Old Quil are staying at Old Quil's cabin tonight for some elder retreat so we'll have the house to ourselves."

I blushed at the thought of being alone again. "Sounds great," I stuttered.

Reading my mind, Jacob laughed. I thought he would hang up then, but he hesitated. "You know last night was really special to me?" Before I could say anything, he continued, "I love you, Bella."

"Me too," and we both hung up.

 **XXXX**

The day dragged on after Jake's phone call. I straitened up the kitchen and made sure I wiped up the last of the cheerios I sprayed across the kitchen. _Stupid guilty conscience._ I threw some laundry into the washing machine and sat down to write a paper due on Monday. It was hard to concentrate on something as mundane as school work when such a life changing event had just occurred. I found I had to force myself back to the writing after zoning out and staring off into space.

I felt good but unsettled. Last night was beautiful and flashes of the evening kept popping into my head as I tried to write my paper. I smiled as I remembered how Jacob was so unexpectedly gentle. Just the memory of his lips on my body made me shiver and squirm. I never knew how wonderful it could be to feel the heavy weight of his bare chest pressed against mine as his body moved in mine. I thought I would go up in flames when he trailed kisses down my collar bone to my breasts and then down my stomach. Once I had let myself go I couldn't remember why I had been so worried about taking the next step with him.

I blushed and forced myself back to my paper. _Concentrate, Bella. The fall of the Roman Empire due to over taxation._ I wrote a couple of sentences but soon found myself drifting off again. I thought of what it felt like to feel every inch of his muscled chest and legs against mine. Giggle. _Rome. Must concentrate on Rome._ That just reminded me of roaming hands and I started to giggle again.

I looked at the clock. Time seemed to be dragging. I felt restless and unanchored. I couldn't wait to see Jake again. Would he expect to do it again tonight to take advantage of the fact that Billy was out and we had the house to ourselves? Would Jake expect it every time were alone now? How did I feel about that? I didn't have the answers but part of me was excited to see where this would take us.

I was so grateful that Jacob didn't give up on me. This last year with him ….. I don't know how I got so lucky.

I finished my paper a couple of hours later expecting to have heard from Jake to firm up our plans. Another hour went by and still no phone call. I would have expected him back at La Push by now. At loose ends, I drove to the grocery store to pick up some food for the week. As I walked down the aisles I saw some of the items for one of Jakes favorite meals, lasagna. I picked up the ingredients and thought it might be nice to cook something special for Jacob one night this week when Charlie worked the evening shift. _Would he read too much into that?_ I shook myself out of my silly musings and drove back to the house.

I checked the house phone answering machine and my cell phone voicemail. There were no messages or missed calls from Jake. I started to cook a couple of meals that I could freeze for Charlie when the phone finally rang. I looked at the caller ID on the phone. Jake!

"Hey, Jake," I answered breathlessly.

I was greeted by silence.

"Hello. Are you there?" I called into the phone. Maybe we had a bad connection.

Jake finally spoke. "Uh, Bells, sorry I didn't call sooner. I'm still at Quil's cousins' house. Um, something's come up, and um, well," he uncharacteristically stuttered, "I, ah, I can't talk right now but I wanted to give you a call to say that I won't, uh, be able to see you tonight."

I heard Quil and Embry say something to him but I couldn't make out any of the words clearly.

"Is everything ok, Jake? You sound funny."

"Uh, something just come up that I can't get away from here yet and, well, can we give tonight a miss?"

Disappointed, I said. "Sure. Sure. Take care of what you need to take care of and I'll see you later."

"Thanks." He paused, seeming to try to find the right words, "Look, Bells, I'm sorry. So very sorry."

That was a lot of apology for breaking a date. Granted it was the first date after our change in relationship status, but still it wasn't the end of the world. I tried to sound understanding, "It's okay, Jake. It's not like you could prevent it."

There was another long pause. He seemed to want to say something but all I heard was the background hum of the cell phone connection. To break the silence I put all the warm feelings I had into my goodbye. "I love you, Jake."

Again there was silence. "Uh, yeah, me too. I, ah, I'll call you," he stuttered again and he hung up.

I stared at the cell phone with a frown on my face. Something wasn't right.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	10. Chapter 10 - Radio Silent

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to those who reviewed. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing. I think I still have the present/past errors so be patient. This story has no beta. Not sure how the beta thing works but if anyone is interested – please contact me.

 **Chapter 10 – Radio Silent**

Monday.

Tuesday.

Wednesday.

Thursdsay.

It was Friday, and Jake still had not called. I didn't know what to think. Jake hadn't been phone silent like this since he went through his first phasing and Billy had told me that he had Mono. I didn't want doubts to creep in but I had started to feel a bit insecure. I had called his house phone every day this week with no answer. I had left messages on his cell phone and still hadn't received a phone call back.

I planned on driving by Jake's house after helping Emily with the cooking for the shut in deliveries on Wednesday but she called and told me she could handle it on her own. I decided to cook some lasagna to distract myself from my own thoughts and worries. I had just pulled the second tray out of the oven when Charlie came into the house. He hung his jacket on the coat rack and secured his weapon in the gun safe in the closet under the stairs.

"Hi, Bells. Something smells good." Charlie came up behind me and squeezed my arms as he looked over my shoulder at the two trays on the counter.

I smiled. I could always count on Charlie's enthusiasm for my cooking.

"Thanks, Dad. I made lasagna."

"My favorite."

"Yeah, yours and Jake's. I thought I might bring a tray over to Billy and Jake."

Charlie looked at me funny. "Didn't Jake tell you? Billy's with his daughter in Hawaii."

Jake was on his own?

"Oh. I haven't really spoken to Jake in a couple of days." I tried to sound casual but Charlie knew me too well.

Charlie stared at me for a moment and then sat at the kitchen table. "Is everything okay with you and Jake? I didn't expect you to stay home tonight. I figured you kids would have some plans. Did you guys fight?"

"No, everything is fine. I guess he's been busy." I ladled a slice of lasagna on to a plate from the first tray that had cooled and placed it in front of Charlie. "Maybe I'll drop off the extra lasagna tray to Jake tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm sure he'll appreciate that."

I ladled a slice for myself and sat across from Charlie but I had lost my appetite. It just wasn't like Jake to not call when he promised. I spent the rest of the evening cleaning up the kitchen and then watched a game with Charlie. Nothing really held my interest. I kept looking at the phone willing it to ring but the phone just stayed stubbornly silent.

XXXXX

The next morning I debated whether I was making the right decision to drive out to Jake's without hearing from him. Maybe Jake needed space and I should just wait until he decided to call. I didn't want to crowd him. Was I smothering him? Was I too clingy? Did he regret sleeping with me?

After a week of silence I realized just how much I depended on him since Edward had left. Without Jake's sunny presence I started to feel that aching cold emptiness again. I spent another hour in inner debate. When I couldn't take the uncertainty anymore, I ran upstairs. I changed clothes three times trying to find something attractive that didn't scream trying too hard. I put the tray of lasagna into a travel holder and drove out to La Push.

I parked my car in Jake's driveway and noticed the place looked deserted. I grabbed the lasagna and nervously walked up to the front door and knocked. No answer. _Calm down Bella. Why are you wound up? You're just visiting your boyfriend. You have every right to drop in at your boyfriend's house. I'm sure he'll have a great explanation for why he hasn't called._

I knocked again but still no one came to answer the door. I looked in the side window but all the lights were off. More importantly, the television was off. I don't remember ever seeing the television off when I'd been to the house. I used to tease Jake about it and he said he liked to keep it on for background noise.

I tried the front door knob and was surprised to find it locked. That was unusual as no one seemed to lock their doors on the reservation. Crime was virtually non-existent since Sam and his pack started patrolling the reservation. Families were so closely connected here it was common for neighbors to just let themselves into each other houses after a courtesy knock.

I walked to my truck disappointed and drove back towards the highway. I passed the reservation convenience store and noticed Embry standing outside talking to Paul. I made a quick decision and pulled into the lot. I parked my truck and walked across the shell lot to the front porch of the store as casually as I could.

"Hi, Embry. How's it going?"

Embry looked startled to see me. "Hey, Bella."

I hated to do this but I needed some answers. "You wouldn't happen to know where Jake is, do you? I just stopped by his house but no one was home."

Embry looked at Paul and I could see him give a slight shake of his head to Paul. Paul looked like he wanted to say something but Embry gave him a pleading look so Paul just stood there.

"Is everything okay? Is Jake on patrol?"

Paul gave a smirking laugh and said, "No, he's not on patrol."

Embry glared at him and then finally said to me, "I think he's with Quil at the Makah reservation."

"Again? Did Quil need another ride this weekend?"

Paul smirked again. "Yeah, I don't think its Quil that's making him drive out to the Makah reservation."

Embry shoved his shoulder into Paul's shoulder in an obvious attempt to shut him up.

I felt like I was missing something important. Embry wouldn't make eye contact with me and Paul just kept smirking. Did Jake say something about last weekend to them? Oh, God. I forgot about the phasing. If Jake phased since Saturday, then all of them must know what we did. Is that it? Was Paul smirking at me because I finally slept with Jake? I could feel my face turning red.

Embry turned back to me and said, "Look, Bella, I'll tell Jake you were looking for him and ask him to give you a call."

I stood there uncomfortably. They obviously weren't going to give me any of the answers I had come out her looking for. "Okay, well, thanks. I guess I'll see you guys later."

"Unlikely," Paul said under his breath. Before I could say something he just gave me a pitying look and walked back into the store.

Feeling like I made a big mistake in stopping, I said goodbye to Embry again and drove back into town.

xxxxxxx

Another two weeks went by and Jake was still ignoring my phone calls. I didn't have anyone to talk to about what was going on in my life. Jake was my best friends and he was the one I usually confided in. The only girl I had ever gotten close to besides Alice was Angela and she was away at college. I felt so cut-off.

Billy was back from Hawaii and when I called the house he wouldn't say anything beyond that Jake was out and he would give him the message to call me. When Jake still hadn't called and I phoned again, Billy said, "Bella, I'm really sorry. Why don't you give Jake a few more days to work everything out and get in touch with you?"

I felt like a stalker.

"Sure, Billy. I'm sorry for calling so much. I'm just confused and worried about Jake. This isn't like him."

"I know, Bella. He's just got some issues he needs to work out. "

"Ok, well, tell Jake I hope to hear from him soon." I hung up and went up to my room. I was so angry and so hurt. I was angry at myself for allowing myself to be so vulnerable again. I wanted to confront Jacob to understand what the hell was going on. The not knowing was killing me. I wasn't sure what to think anymore. What did Jake have to work out? How to tell me, _Thanks for the lay but I don't think it's really going to work out._

I saw Jessica go through this with Mike Newton. As soon as they finally slept together he started to ignore her. I trusted Jake but I felt like a fool. He said he loved me and would never hurt me. Well this was hurting. It was hurting almost as much as when Edward left me. I cried myself to sleep that night.

xxxxx

I stopped calling Jake's house and his cell phone.

I went to school, I went to work, I cooked for Charlie, but the life was sucked right out of me. I offered to help Emily with the meal deliveries but she said she could handle it. School was out on break so there was no tutoring. I felt shut out of everything related to Jacob.

I knew Charlie was worried about me. I didn't let him see me cry but the dark circles from the lack of sleep and the weight loss from the missed meals were not as easy to hide. I knew he worried that I would return to that catatonic state I was in after Edward left. I tried harder to act like I was alright but he saw through it.

After the fourth week, Charlie got involved. I came in from my evening classes in Port Angeles and I overheard Charlie on the phone.

"What's going on Billy? Why isn't Jake answering Bella's calls? For the last year I couldn't come home without tripping over your son in my kitchen or sprawled on my couch. Suddenly, he disappears with no explanation?"

"I don't want to hear about his tribal obligations. That boy called Bella everyday two and three times a day and now nothing? I think Bella deserves an explanation. "

"Well that's not good enough. Tell your son that I expect him to man up and get his ass over here to explain why he has been such a jerk to my daughter."

I was mortified that Charlie felt like he had to get involved. What was the point if the only way Jake would talk to me is if my father made him? Regardless, the threats hadn't worked. Jake still stayed away.

My self-imposed isolation angered me. Almost my whole life had been tied up in Jake, the reservation and his friends. The need for secrecy isolated me from my former classmates from high school and my new classmates in college. I spent so much time either with Jake, commuting, or working I hadn't really made any effort to make new friends at Peninsula College. Once I was pushed out of the pack life I realized how alone I was.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	11. Chapter 11 - Confrontation

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to those who reviewed. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing.

 **Chapter 11 - Confrontation**

It had been five weeks and still no word from Jake. Not a phone call, not an email, not even a post it note.

I was folding some laundry that had built up and I noticed two shirts that should have been in the load were missing. I remembered throwing them in the laundry basket with the jeans and the sweatshirt that I had just folded. I went back upstairs to see if they were stuck at the bottom of the laundry basket. After ten minutes of fruitless searching I went back downstairs.

"Hey Dad, did you attempt to do the wash in the last week?"

Charlie looked up from the baseball game on ESPN and looked like a deer frozen in headlights. "No, sorry, should I have? I thought you banned me from laundry?"

That was true. I had told Charlie I would handle laundry along with the cooking after the great pink debacle. When I had first moved to Forks, Charlie had wanted to show me he was pulling his weight and decided to throw in a load of laundry I sorted. Unfortunately it was a load of my whites and he had added his new red button down shirt to the load. I still didn't own even one white bra or pair of underwear after that.

"No, no. I just can't find a couple of my shirts and I thought maybe they got mixed up in something you might have washed. Don't worry about it."

Charlie, clearly happy that he hadn't forgetten some assigned chore went back to watching the game.

As I went to walk out of the living room, Charlie called me back.

"Bells, could you do me a favor?"

"Sure, Dad."

"I special ordered a new reel for my pole at Newtons. They said it would be in tomorrow and I won't be able to pick it up before they close. Could you pick it up so I'll have it for Sunday?"

"No problem."

Satisfied, Charlie went back to watching his game.

XXXXXX

The next afternoon I drove to town. I stopped by the post office to drop off a package for Renee and decided to leave my car there and walk across the street to Newton's. I found Mr. Newton in the back of the store rearranging a camping display.

"Hi, Mr. Newton. My Dad sent me to pick up the reel you ordered for him."

"Bella, it's so good to see you. How have you been?"

"I'm good Mr. Newton."

"You know, Mike always asks about you when he calls home. Too bad he spent Spring Break in Cancun; I know he would have loved to have seen you."

"Well tell Mike I said hi when you talk to him. Hopefully we'll see each other the next time he's home."

"Good, good." The front door bell jingled indicating a customer had just walked in.

"Bella, Mrs. Newton is getting her hair done and I'm by myself. Would you mind going into the stock room and grabbing Charlie's package yourself while I help whoever just walked in? It is on the table near the rack with the lanterns."

"Sure, no problem."

I walked to the stockroom and noticed that everything looked exactly as it did when I worked for Newton's in high school.

I spotted the lanterns and found the package on the table with Charlie's name on it. I took one last look around and walked back to the showroom floor. I made it as far as the tent displays when I stopped in my tracks.

My heart stopped and my stomach dropped. The customer talking to Mr. Newton looked like Jake from the back. I did a double take and I realized it was Seth. I felt a little light headed from the adrenaline rush.

I wondered what brought Seth to the store. I inched my way closer to where Mr. Newton was waiting on Seth but stayed out of sight behind one of the tent displays.

"We're having a bonfire tonight at La Push and I finally got those cheap bastards to kick in some cash so we could replace the old grill."

"Well, we have a fine selection of grills just over here. How much were you thinking of spending?"

I walked back to the stock room before Seth could see me. The pack was having a bonfire. That usually meant mandatory attendance by all the wolves and their imprints or partners except the two that would be on patrol. Would Jake be there? Since we weren't going together maybe he volunteered to patrol.

I really needed to see Jake and find out what the hell was going on. I felt like a stalker running him to ground but I didn't see any other choice. I couldn't take this limbo anymore. I would go to the bonfire and confront Jake.

I felt better now that I had a plan of action. Part of me hoped that he would have a reasonable explanation for the way he had been acting for the last month so we could move on.

I peeked out the stockroom door and saw that Seth had left. I paid for the reel and Mr. Newton told me he would tell Mike to give me a call the next time he came home. I told him that would be great and drove home.

There was a note on the table when I got home from Newton's. Charlie wrote that he had to work the night shift for one of his deputies. Part of me was grateful that I didn't have to tell Charlie where I was going. I wasn't sure I would have the courage to go to La Push and confront Jake if Charlie told me I was being foolish chasing after someone who obviously didn't want anything to do with me.

I tried to settle my nerves as I drove out to the beach. My stomach felt like butterflies were battling each other. I wanted to know where I stood but I was contrarily afraid of what Jake would say if he was there. I parked the truck and had to walk a bit to get to the section of the beach where fires were permitted. I could just make out the flickering flames of the fire when I heard the faint sound of music and laughter drifting down the beach.

I was around ten feet away when I saw a couple of the guys wrestling over a beach chair that someone must have just stolen when the other guy got up for some food. I smiled at the normalcy of it all. I scanned the crowd and finally saw Jake on the other side of the bonfire with a drink in his hand smiling at something Embry said. The flames of the fire accented his burnished copper skin and made him even more handsome than I remembered. I was just about to call out to him when I saw her.

A beautiful statuesque girl walked up to Jacob and put her arm through his. Her shiny black straight hair, high cheekbones and beautiful sloping eyes proclaimed her Native American heritage. At the lightest feel of her touch, Jake turned from Embry and looked into her eyes. It felt like a knife plunged into my heart when his face lit up. No matter how many times he had smiled at me he had never looked at me like he did her just then.

I gasped. I must have been louder than I thought or it could have been the stupid supernatural wolf hearing because Jacob turned toward the sound immediately and saw my stricken face. In an instant, I could see guilt, regret and embarrassment race across his face. He looked at me, then the girl holding his arm, and back to me. I could see he was torn. Everyone had stopped talking to watch the drama that was about to unfold before them. Most of the pack members looked away from me, clearly embarrassed. Paul had a bit of feral smile on his face. The girl looked questioningly at Jake. Jake whispered something to her, she nodded, and he started to walk across the clearing to me.

I spun around and tried to get to my car. _Stupid Bella. Stupid, stupid Bella._ I felt like I was walking through quicksand as I rushed back to the truck. I tripped and fell to my knees. _Why did I come out here? Why didn't I just leave well enough alone?_ I got back up and fought my way to the parking lot.

"Bella, wait!" Jake called out to me. I couldn't stop. If I stopped I knew I was going to fall apart. Jake's long strides quickly closed the distance. He grabbed my arm to halt my progress and I felt the incredible heat of his hands burn through my sleeve. I yanked my arm away and kept walking, wiping the tears running down my cheek. I was such a fool. How could I have been so stupid?

"Bella, please. It's not what you think."

I froze. I couldn't believe he just said that. I turned around and stared at him incredulously. He stopped at my expression. "How would you even know what I think, you haven't spoken to me in over four weeks."

Jacob looked embarrassed at the rebuke. "I know. I'm sorry. Something happened and I didn't know how to tell you."

"So ignoring me was the better plan?"

Again, he looked embarrassed. "Let me explain."

I couldn't say anything. I wanted to beg him to be quiet. Part of me wanted to tell him he didn't have to tell me what happened. All he had to do was tell me he still loved me and I would try to forget his weeks of silence. We could go back to being Jacob and Bella. After seeing how he looked at the girl by the fire I knew that wasn't going to happen. But once he said the words I knew they couldn't be unsaid.

"I imprinted."

And there they were. The words I had been dreading since I found out about imprinting over a year ago and realized that Jacob had never imprinted on me. The fear I had built so many defenses to keep myself safe from. Those same defenses I let go of last month when he told me he loved me and would never imprint. I believed him because I wanted to believe him. I was such a fool.

Tears welled up in my eyes but I didn't say anything. All I could do was stare at his achingly familiar face. _My Jacob._ But…. he wasn't my Jacob any more.

"It happened the day I took Quil to his cousins' house at the Makah reservation. Quil invited Embry and I to meet everyone and get a bite to eat before we drove back to La Push. You have to know I didn't mean for it to happen. Especially, the timing."

I flinched at the reminder of what had happened the night before.

"Quil's mom was introducing us around and that's when it happened. She introduced me to Vanessa and I took one look at her and …..I knew." As bad as he felt for what he was saying to me I could still see how happy he was in his imprinting.

"I'm sorry. I should have told you that first night when I called to tell you I couldn't make our date. I thought I could fight the imprint. I hated myself for what this would do to you after everything that had …. happened … between us." He couldn't even say the words. He couldn't say _after we made love,_ or _after we had sex,_ not even _after we hooked up._

I could see in his face that he was embarrassed that he slept with me.

"I know I made you promises and I swear I had every intention of keeping them. I tried to stay away from her but I couldn't. I would find myself running to the Makah reservation every chance I could get. I'm sorry Bella. No matter how hard I tried …. I just couldn't fight the pull to Vanessa. "

"I told her about you and about us." I cringed. "I was planning to come over and tell you everything this week. I'm sorry it took me this long. It was unfair to you and it was unfair to Vanessa." I couldn't believe that even as he was apologizing to me it was _still_ Vanessa that was most important.

"Bella, please say something. Yell at me. Tell me you hate me. Say something."

I couldn't. What was the point? All I wanted to say was _'Why her? Why not me?'_ Why was she good enough but I wasn't? What was I missing that he didn't imprint on me? Even after we made love, it wasn't enough. I wasn't good enough. Again.

I just turned around and walked to my truck. I could see Jake's agonized face but I couldn't spare him the energy to say anything to try to make him feel better. It took everything in me to drive home without falling apart.

I walked into the house feeling like an old woman. I was glad Charlie wasn't home yet and I didn't have to face his questions. I went upstairs and crawled into bed with my clothes still on. I cried and I cried. I cried until there just weren't any more tears left. Then I laid there and stared at the ceiling. I was alone again. Yet another man told me he loved, he would never leave me and then found me wanting. I rolled over and waited for sleep. What was the difference between the nightmare I was living while I was awake or the ones I experienced when I slept. It all felt like the same black void.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	12. Chapter 12 - What Next

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to those who reviewed. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing.

 **Chapter 12 - What Next?**

I woke up the next morning and felt groggy and numb from the return of my void nightmare. I took a shower hoping the water would help me clear my head. As the hot water sprayed over my face, it all came back to me at once. Jake had imprinted and it wasn't me. I couldn't stop the tears that mixed with the water that sprayed on my face.

I felt like such an idiot when I thought of all my unanswered phone calls made in the hopes that we could work everything out. All along it was over and he didn't have the guts to tell me. There were no secrets in the pack. Jake must have phased in the last six weeks for patrol or on one of his runs to the Makah reservation. That meant that Embry and Paul knew that day I saw them at the store. I flinched at the memory. I must have seemed so pathetic to them when I asked if they had seen Jake. Paul must have been thrilled at the chance to laugh at my expense. He never liked me with Jake because of my time with Edward. He never thought I was good enough for Jake. He must have loved it when he was proven right.

And Billy. He was like a second father. I thought Billy cared about me. It was as common for me to cook dinner for him as it was for me to cook for Charlie. All those times I called and he made up excuses for Jake made me cringe in embarrassment. He must have thought I had no pride. How embarrassing to have his best friend's daughter act like something out of bad teen aged stalker movie.

I was hurt. But unlike when Edward left, I also realized that I was angry. I was angry at Jake, angry at Edward, but most of all angry at myself. How could I have been so stupid?

I couldn't put off the inevitable. I walked down stairs and faced Charlie. I could tell by the expression on his face he knew something. His next words confirmed it.

"Billy called me this morning. He told me that you saw Jake last night." I nodded. "He said he was with another girl."

"Yeah, her name is Vanessa and she's from the Makah reservation." I don't know why I was telling him this trivial information. What did it matter what her name was or where she was from. Maybe by putting her name to the event, it made it more real. More final.

"Do you want to talk?" Charlie asked awkwardly.

"Not yet." I smiled sadly. I knew Charlie was trying to help but it was too fresh.

He nodded. He seemed to understand that I needed some time to process everything. "Okay. Bells, you know I'm here if you want to talk."

I gave him a weak smile. "I know. Thanks. I think I'm going to go to the library to study if that is all right with you?" He nodded. I turned to go and then quickly turned around, "You know in spite of everything that has happened here, the best decision I ever made was coming back to live with you three years ago." Charlie looked surprised. "I know I don't always say it but, I love you Dad."

He hugged me and for a few minutes I felt like a little girl again safe in his embrace where nothing bad could ever happen.

A knock at the door broke us apart. I wiped the tears out of my eyes as I walked toward the entrance way. I was extremely surprised as I opened the door.

"Leah. What are you doing here?"

"Gees Bella, you look like shit."

I almost smiled at her bluntness. You could always count on Leah to tell it like it is.

"Sorry about that. I'm so used to those assholes in the pack that I forget how to talk to civilized people. Look, I promise I'll be on my best behavior. Could we just talk?"

I came outside and closed the door so Charlie couldn't overhear us. I was curious as to what would bring her here but I really didn't want to face anyone in the pack. "Now's not really the best time."

"I know what happened last night."

Tears welled up in my eyes and my face heated up at the thought that I was the topic of the reservation gossip.

"Bella, please don't be embarrassed. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Jake is the jerk in all this. Look, I figured you could use a friend about now. "

"Not to be rude, Leah, but I'm a bit shocked. For the last two years you have been trying to push me away from Jake and the pack. Why are you suddenly trying to be my friend? I thought you would be the first to do the Snoopy Happy Dance when you heard Jake dumped me. You were finally proven right. I wasn't good enough to be Jake's imprint."

"Bella, I know how it might have looked to you but that couldn't be further from the truth. I, more than anyone, understand what you are going through. If in the past I tried to warn or push you away, it wasn't because I didn't like you. I just knew this day could come and I was trying to save you this pain."

I was silent for a minute and then opened the front door and called out to Charlie, "Dad, I'll see you in a couple of hours. Leah and I are going out." I grabbed my car keys off the table in the hallway and Leah followed me out to the truck.

An hour later we were at a diner near campus. I didn't know where to start. I guess Leah could sense that and said, "Bella, I'm sorry for the pain that you are going through. Jake is dick."

I smiled at that but then asked Leah what I had really wanted to ask Jake. "Why her? Why not me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I know. The truth is I don't have an answer for you."

"Leah, I feel like such a fool. The pack must think I'm so pathetic. I was virtually stalking him and all that time he was with Vanessa."

"Bella, you weren't the fool. Jake was a coward. He knew how hard he had been pushing you in the relationship. Jake has been paranoid that Edward would come back."

I was stunned by her words. I exclaimed, "That is crazy. I knew they were never coming back when the pack saved me from Laurent. Alice would have seen the danger I was going to be in the meadow that day. If they had really cared, they would have never left me to face Laurent on my own. I was just lucky the pack showed up when they did or I would be dead. No, I was just a passing distraction to the Cullens. Like a pet, as Laurent said to me in the clearing that day."

"Well, Jake convinced himself that time was running out. He thought if he could tie you to him with every emotional tie he could before Edward showed up then you would pick him if it came to a choice between them."

"The irony of all of this is the person that really ended up having to make a choice was Jacob," I said sadly, "and he didn't choose me."

Leah was silent.

"I understand. Like you, I gave every part of myself to Sam and he still left me for Emily. It was even worse when I phased. You would think that if we both had the gene I would be a perfect match for him but I wasn't."

She did understand how I felt.

"If you ever need someone to talk to or rant to, call me. I'd like to be your friend. You can count on me." She smiled encouragingly at me.

"Thanks. That means a lot to me."

We spent another hour talking. I cried, she consoled me and called Jake all the names I wished I could have if I still hadn't loved him so much. Her time with the pack gave her quite the creative curse word vocabulary. A few I had never even heard of before. We exchanged cell numbers and agreed to meet again in a few days. By the end of the day, I felt like I had made a new friend. Something I hadn't really had since Alice had left.

 **XXXXX**

Jake came over the next morning to finally have "the talk" he had been avoiding. I heard his car pull into the driveway from my room. Charlie got to the front door before I made it fully down the stairs.

"You have a lot of nerve showing your face around here, Jake." Charlie said from the doorway. I heard some scuffling.

"Charlie, I'm sorry but I need to talk to Bella."

"You're never getting near my daughter after what you put her through the last few weeks. I thought you were better than this. I thought you were better than _Him_."

I could see the comparison to Edward had stung Jake. He had always felt that he had the moral high ground when compared to Edward.

"I thought I could trust you with the one thing I love most in the world." The part of me that felt so unlovable these last few weeks was so grateful for those words from Charlie. "I can't tell you how disappointed I am in you."

I knew Jake felt the cut of those words, "I'm sorry, Charlie. I swear the last thing I meant to do was hurt Bella."

Jake noticed me standing on the steps. "Bella, could I talk to you?" He looked at Charlie and then back to me, "Alone?"

I nodded to Charlie and he reluctantly left.

"Maybe we should take this outside," Jake suggested. I grabbed a light sweater off the coat rack and followed him out.

Jake looked at me and said, "Come on. Take a walk with me."

The similarities of what he just said and what he was going to say were too close to when Edward left me. I felt the tears that welled up in my eyes at his words. I didn't know if I was going to be able to bear this a second time. How many times can one heart be cut to pieces before it just stops beating?

We walked into the woods at the edge of the property. We didn't go far. We stopped in the area that the wolves used to watch the house over the last year.

Jake tried to take my hands but I pulled them out of his reach. "Bella, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I didn't call. I know that was unfair. Charlie isn't the only one disappointed in how I handled everything. Billy is ashamed of me, Sam is livid, and Vanessa was devastated when she heard what I did to you or rather what I didn't do."

I winced at the sound of Vanessa's name. I knew in the list of people that were disappointed with him including myself, the only one that he really cared about was Vanessa.

"I don't have any excuse. The truth is I just couldn't face you. I pursued you relentlessly. I tried every way I could to make you love me."

I touched his arm, "And it worked. I do love you Jake." He recoiled from my touch and my hand dropped from his arm.

"I'm sorry Bella. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen."

I stepped close to him again, putting my palm over his heart and pleaded, "If you love me, can't you fight it?"

"Don't you think I tried?" I dropped my hand away in surprise at his growl. "I can't fight this."

He meant he wouldn't fight for me.

"I didn't want to hurt you. I knew you were vulnerable after Edward and I used the opportunity to finally take my chance. I discounted your fears over imprinting. I knew you saw Leah and worried something like that could happen to you. I pressured you into taking our relationship to the next level. For that, I'm so sorry."

"Didn't that mean anything to you? Don't I mean anything to you?"

"Of course you do, Bella. I still love you." My heart beat a little faster at his declaration. "I'm just not …in love with you….. anymore."

He was killing me.

"I regret that more than anything. If we had waited only one more day this would have been so much easier. I'm sorry that I have to add that to one of my sins against you."

His words tore my chest open. I gave him everything and he regretted it all. He regretted that he didn't wait another day so he could have had that first experience with Vanessa instead of me. Didn't he realize what he was saying? Couldn't he see that he was killing that fragile part of me that he had helped heal when Edward left? He hadn't filled Edwards place, he made one for himself. And now he was tearing that piece out of my chest with each painful word.

"I think you should leave," I said quietly.

Jake looked surprised at my words. "Bella, please, talk to me."

I shook my head. What was the point?

 **xxxxx**

I tried to keep it together if only for Charlie's sake. A couple of days later, Charlie came into the kitchen while I washed the dishes from dinner. He hovered but did not say anything. As a rule, Charlie didn't hover. I looked over my shoulder and said, "What's up?"

"You have a long weekend coming up, right?"

"Yes, next week."

"You look like you could use a break." Charlie put a plane ticket on the counter. "I was talking to your Mother and we thought you might like a trip to see her."

I looked up gratefully at Charlie. A change of scenery would be really great right now. I needed to make some decisions. Maybe it would be easier from a sunnier local.

"She mentioned wanting to show you some of the schools near her. She thought you might like to check out the University of Florida campus or Florida State University."

I looked at Charlie in surprise. "You want me to go away?"

"No. I hate the thought of not having you here, Bella. I don't want to lose you, but I'll understand if you feel something like that is a good move for you. Your mother spoke to their admission offices and both confirmed it is easier to transfer into another school with your Associates degree. On the bright side, University of Florida usually has one hell of a football team. I might like being a Gator Dad."

Trust sports to win Charlie over.

"I'll think about it. Thanks, Dad."

 **XXXXXX**

Leah and I met for lunch the week after I got back from Jacksonville.

"Wow, Bella, you almost have color."

"I know. It took almost constant sunbathing but I think I look one shade darker than an albino."

We both laughed.

"No, really. You almost glow."

"Thanks. I feel a little better."

"Bella, I have something I need to tell you. Now that you and Jake aren't together anymore, Paul's been pushing to pull in the patrols. He's been arguing that the reservation is a large area to patrol on its own and it's a strain to go beyond the boundaries. Sam knows that some of the guys really need to spend more time getting caught up on school so they can graduate. He's worried about what chances they'll have for a decent future. "

"Leah, it's okay. I can't blame Sam for wanting the best for his pack members. He's right. If they don't pull up their grades and graduate most won't have a chance of getting into college."

"Jake protested but Paul argued that since they haven't caught Victoria's scent in almost a year, she probably moved on to more interesting prey." I wanted to tell her that Vampires don't think of time the same way humans did but I couldn't ask them to keep putting their lives in danger for me. It was different when it looked like my future was tied to Jake but that was all over.

"Tell Sam thanks. Thanks for all the time he and the rest of the guys went out of their way to protect Charlie and I. Tell him that I'll understand if he can't patrol by us. Besides, it may not be an issue … I think I may be leaving Forks anyway." Now that I said the words, they sounded right.

Leah looked shocked and a bit envious. "Where are you thinking of going?"

"I'm not sure yet. I only went to Peninsula College to stay near Jake. I may transfer over to University of Florida. It's only a few hours away from Renee and Phil. If I don't go there, the scholarship I turned down to Oregon may be available again."

Leah told me that Vanessa was already staying at Quil's parents' house so Jake didn't have to do the commute to the Makah reservation as much and he could catch up on school. He was scheduled to graduate and it looked like they would be engaged in the next six months.

"Besides, I feel bad about Billy and Charlie. I feel like I've gone through a divorce and all our friends and families have to choose sides. Poor Charlie feels like he is being disloyal if he talks or goes fishing with Billy. He's still mad at Jake and by association Billy. He doesn't understand how Jake could change his feelings so quickly. You know, break up with me and then be so serious with Vanessa."

"When do you think you'll leave?"

"I'm not sure. The semester ends in another couple of weeks. So hopefully that will work out with the patrol schedule."

"I understand. I also imagine you want to get away from the pitying looks. That killed me most of all when Sam dumped me for Emily."

"Yeah, that hasn't been great."

"I heard Jake came over to try to talk to you."

I just realized that Leah would know that if she had phased recently. Then I realized that anything I said to her would be fair game to the pack mind meld.

She must have caught my panicked expression because she said, "Don't worry. I haven't phased since we started talking. I phased once after Jake first met Vanessa and all the guys refused to patrol with me because they were tired of my _Jake is an asshole_ tirade. Jake doesn't know any of the things you have said to me and I promise he won't. Under the new patrol schedule, I've been relieved of duty until further notice."

"Are you okay with that?"

"I have better control over my phasing and I've been thinking of relocating myself. Sam has seen that when I phased in the past and I think this is his way of silently encouraging me. "

I nodded. "Where do you think you will go?"

"I'm not sure yet. Jake's sister in Hawaii offered me her couch. With Rachel gone, she has some space. Maybe I'll learn to surf and try to adopt the island mentality. The guys think it would help me center myself and take care of my anger management issues."

I had to laugh at that.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	13. Chapter 13 - Repurcussions

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to those who reviewed. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing.

 **Chapter 13 - Repercussions**

I knew I had to concentrate on school or I had no hope of transferring. I had finals and was setting up my test schedule in my email calendar when I noticed something was missing. Certain "notations" I made in my calendar since I was thirteen.

 _Are you kidding me!_

Sure, I hadn't kept up with my normal routine since Jake had stopped talking to me but how could I have missed this?

I was late.

I leaned back on my chair in the library in between the stacks and sat stunned. Surely, God couldn't be so cruel. We used protection! I couldn't be that unlucky as to get pregnant the first time I slept with someone and after that someone dumped me. Please, please, let this be a mistake. Don't let my life be that much of a cliché.

I couldn't concentrate once I realized that I could be pregnant. I packed up my books and laptop and I left the library. I drove to a nearby pharmacy and purchased one of the early pregnancy tests. I thanked the fact that I was in Port Angeles and not Forks where I had some anonymity. I could just imagine how many minutes it would take for word to get back to Charlie, by some well-meaning person, that his daughter was seen buying a pregnancy test at the Forks pharmacy.

I sat in my truck and opened the box. I read the directions to the test and realized I would have to wait until morning to take it for the most reliable results. I drove back to Forks with my stomach in knots. I was relieved to see that Charlie wasn't home. I ran upstairs and hid the test in my room and then went downstairs to the kitchen and started dinner. I pushed my food around the plate when Charlie came home and we had dinner. He wasn't much of a talker so he didn't notice how quiet I was. My had was full of what if's.

I jumped up from the table and cleared the dishes. I needed activity to distract me. Charlie went into the living room to watch television but I just cleaned the refrigerator out and reorganized the cabinets. I folded the laundry when I heard Charlie call out.

"Bells, what's wrong?" Charlie said from the living room couch. "You're like a cat on a hot tin roof. Please stop cleaning and sit down for a few minutes."

I knew I couldn't sit and watch T.V. without Charlie seeing my anxiety. I'm sure he would attribute it to the break up but I knew it hurt him to see me this way.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I'm just anxious about school. You know I go into a cleaning frenzy before finals. I think I'll go upstairs and try to study."

I think Charlie was relieved that I stopped banging cabinets so he didn't say anything. In my room, I stared at the brown paper bag on my desk. What if I was pregnant? What was I going to do? If Jake didn't want me anymore it didn't seem likely that he would want my baby either.

I barely slept that night. I had dueling nightmares of Jake yelling at me that I ruined his life by trapping him with a baby and my void nightmare. My eyes felt heavy and gritty when I finally dragged myself out of bed the next morning. Charlie had already left for the station so I had the privacy I needed to take the test.

I followed the instructions and then discovered that time stood still in my bathroom. All I needed was Stephen Hawking to confirm there was a black hole in my bathroom creating a time paradox. After what felt like an eternity, the timer I stole from the kitchen finally dinged. Now that the moment was at hand I wasn't sure I was brave enough to look at the results. _Get a grip Swan. Put your big girl panties on and look at the stick._

I picked up the stick and almost fainted. The stick said _Pregnant._ I sat there numbly for thirty minutes. I used the spare baton took the test again….same result. I heard the garbage truck moving down the road and realized I was going to be late for class. Maybe the trip to Port Angeles would give me time to figure out my next move. I wrapped up the sticks and threw them into the garbage. I dumped the bathroom garbage into the kitchen garbage bag and just to be safe I put the bag into the trash can by the curb in just enough time for the truck to pick it up. The last thing I needed was for Charlie to find any evidence of the home pregnancy tests before I had a chance to figure out what I was going to do or say.

The next couple of days were tough. I still had finals to get through before I could crawl into a ball and hide under the covers.

Xxx

I woke up Saturday morning to find Sam talking to my father at the front door. I was just about to go back up the stairs to my room when Charlie saw me.

"Bells, Sam and some of the boys are going to help us look for those hikers that went missing."

"Hey, Sam. Nice to see you."

Charlie told me about the three hikers that went missing when he picked me up from the airport after my trip to Jacksonville. I knew that this could be more than just a case of some inexperienced hikers falling down a revineravine or encountering wild animals.

"I swear every yuppie with enough money to buy camping gear approaches camping up her like they are going to Disneyland. Then we end up having to try to find them. I really appreciate you guys helping us later this afternoon."

"No problem. We're glad to help."

"How's Emily?"

Sam looked uncomfortable. That just confirmed my belief that Emily had stopped asking for my help with the meals on wheels program because of Jake and Vanessa.

"She's really good."

"They just found out they are having a little boy. Isn't that great, Bells?"

It only brought my own problems to the forefront. I tried to give the correct answer so Charlie wouldn't get suspicious. "Congratulations, Sam. I know you and Emily will be wonderful parents."

I passed the open doorway just as a breeze whipped around and headed to the kitchen. I missed the look that Sam gave to me.

Xxxx

I hadn't made any decisions by the end of the week. Finals were at least finished and it was in the hands of my teachers as to how I finished up the semester. Charlie and the pack were going out again to look for the hikers. It was expected to be a body recovery at that point rather than a rescue mission.

Charlie asked if I would help the volunteers at the base camp. Of course I agreed but I didn't really want to see anyone from the reservation until I had some plan in place. After two weeks of knowing I was pregnant, I had concluded that I couldn't have an abortion. It just wasn't in me. I didn't know how I was going to support myself and a baby but I knew I couldn't give it up for adoption either.

I had to make some decisions including whether to tell Jake. I was going to need to see a doctor soon as well. That meant either telling everyone or finding someone in Port Angeles. The decisions that needed to be made were overwhelming.

I arrived at the base camp with my contribution of food and supplies. Charlie and his team were still combing their grid area. A second team led by Raymond Gray and some of the pack came in for some sandwiches and drinks.

"Hey, Bella." Seth being Seth, grabbed me for a hug.

"Hi, Seth," I whispered into his chest thankful that he treated me like he had always treated me.

He looked down from his six foot five height and gave me a wink. He looked so much like a younger version of Jake it squeezed at my heart. If I had a boy would he look like him?

"Leah says you're looking into transferring to a bigger school."

While school seemed unlikely at this point, that might end up being my cover for leaving Forks if I didn't tell Jake about the baby.

"I know it's been a tough time for you Bells, but I have to say you look great."

I laughed uneasily, "It must be my residual tan from Florida."

He gave me a searching look but didn't say anything else. I shoved some sandwiches and a bottle of water at him and he wandered over to the rest of the guys. I got a few stares from some of the guys but for the most part no one said anything.

The search parties looked for the hikers for hours without luck. Charlie finally called it a day when the sun began going down. "The last thing we need is to have more people lost," Charlie muttered. He was frustrated that they didn't find anything.

Their families were devastated. Charlie tried his best to console them.

"I feel bad for them. I can't imagine having to give up looking for someone I loved," I said as Charlie walked me to my truck with the empty food carriers.

"They won't. I'm sure they'll try to get another search party out here."

"Even though there's very little hope?" I asked as I placed the load onto the passenger side of the truck.

"Kid, if it were you missing out there, I'd never give up looking until I found you."

I wrapped my arms around him and gave him a hug.

He kissed the top of my head, "Come on. Let's go home."

Charlie and the search party never found any sign of the hikers. It always amazed me that no one noticed the Bermuda Triangle that the national preserve near Forks had become. Surely, the disappearance rate had to be higher than the national average. Jasper was right when he said, "People see what they want to see. That's why we have been able to blend in with no one noticing us."

 **xxxxxx**

I met Leah for coffee at our diner in Port Angeles the next day. It gave me the opportunity to scout out a doctor. I was lucky enough to find one that actually took a walk in. I left the office with a lot of leaflets and a prescription for prenatal vitamins.

I walked to the diner in something of a daze from all the information the doctor gave me and the decisions that had to be made. I spotted Leah towards the back of the diner and slid into the booth.

"Hey."

"How's it going?"

"I'm pregnant."

"I knew it! I knew you smelled different."

I gave her a withering look.

"Sorry, that didn't come out right. But you know what I mean. What are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure," I admitted. I knew I was a fool but I had to ask. "Do you think it will change anything for Jake?"

Leah looked at me sadly, "I wish I could say yes, but I don't think it will. The imprint is too strong."

"I was thinking of going back to my Mom's. Maybe if I just get away from all of this I can figure out what to do."

"Bella, if Sam and the rest of the pack find out your pregnant they aren't going to let you leave Forks."

 _What?!_ I was stunned. That had never occurred to me.

"Bella, you are carrying a potential pack member and they are going to want you to stay close so they can protect you."

"Leah, I don't think I can stay and share custody of a child with Jake and Vanessa. Haven't I paid enough? You're telling me I'll have to watch them get married, have kids of their own and live as the pathetic ex that got knocked up at the wrong time? What kind of life is that for me or my child."

"I'm sorry Bella, but I know Sam will fight you taking this child away from the tribe. You and Emily will be bearing the first generation of offspring from an active pack. I don't think they will take any chances with the safety of the children."

xxxxx

I had pulled up to the house when I noticed Jake's Rabbit parked in front. Jake stalked up to my truck as I was gathering my books and bags.

"Is it true?" Jake demanded.

I felt the need to stall. "Is what true?"

"Are you pregnant?"

I placed my backpack down on the seat of my truck and turned to look at Jake. "Would it make a difference to you?"

"Bella, don't be ridiculous. Of course, it makes a difference."

For a moment my heart picked up speed.

"Vanessa, you and I will have to sit down and talk about how we are going to share custody."

Vanessa. Well, that said it all.

"Look Jake, I don't think I can stay in Forks and share custody. I think it would be better for you and Vanessa if I quietly move to Florida to be with my Mom."

"That's not possible, Bella. You can't take a future tribe member away. What if the baby carries the gene like me? Sam says we have to be there for the child to protect it and help if it should go through the transformation."

"This isn't Sam's business."

"This child could be a future pack member so it is his business as the alpha. You can't take this baby away from Forks. We'll fight you and everything will come out to Charlie. Do you want that?"

The last thing I wanted was to get Charlie involved in this supernatural craziness.

"Meet Vanessa. You'll see, she'll make a great step-mother to this baby." Couldn't he see he was killing me? "Bella, we'll work this out and give this child a solid family. I know it's not ideal, but you have to see that it is the right thing to do."

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	14. Chapter 14 - Revenge for Nothing

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to those who reviewed. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing. I think I have created some real Jacob haters. I love Jacob but I always thought he was a bit careless with his pursuit of Bella. On the other hand, I always thought that she was a bit cruel with her expectation that he would still be there for her when she married Edward in the books. There is a bit of tribute to that in this part of the story.

 **A/N** 2 – For those that read Chapter 13 the first day – I apologize. Edits did not properly display in the first version of the chapter I posted. I re-posted the chapter the next day. I'm sorry that I didn't check it the first time I posted. So thank you to everyone that noticed but didn't slam me for so many errors.

 **Chapter 14 – Revenge for Nothing**

I tried to ignore the whispers as I pushed my shopping cart down the aisle of the grocery store. Next time Charlie could do the shopping, I thought.

I saw Mrs. Eastland lean closer to Mrs. Porter and heard her say, "I heard she tried to trap some reservation boy when she knew he was dumping her. Like mother like daughter, I always say. Except I guess she wasn't as lucky. I heard tell that he's already taken up with someone new."

"How far along is she?"

"She's in her second trimester - according to Beth from Dr. Simms office."

 _So much for medical privacy._ I knew I should have kept seeing the doctor in Port Angeles. Charlie convinced me that it would be more convenient to switch over to Dr. Mansieur in Forks.

"Surprised she stuck around. You'd think she would have moved back to her mom's."

"Probably couldn't. That one was always flighty. She's a cougar you know."

"A cougar?"

"Yeah, one of those mature ladies that preys on younger men. Heard she married someone half her age. A baseball player or something."

 _Great. My Mom is a cougar and I'm having a werewolf cub. Super._

I told myself that I wouldn't cry. I wouldn't give the old bags the satisfaction. They weren't the only judgmental people in town. I cringed every time I thought of Mrs. Marsh at the reservation school.

 _"Bella, I'm really sorry. I'm sure you can understand some of the parents have a problem with you working with the kids. Children are very impressionable and we don't want them to think that a teen pregnancy is cool."_

I had just started to show and more people felt they had the right to comment on my unplanned pregnancy. I felt horrible. I was an embarrassment to Charlie, to Jacob and to the people at the reservation that I thought were my friends. I threw paper towels in my basket with more force than was necessary.

"Bella! Bella!" Claire squealed in delight as she ran down the shopping aisle of the little grocery store and wrapped her arms around my expanding waist for a hug.

I looked down at the adorable little girl and gave her a hug back. "Hey, Claire-bear. What are you doing in town?"

"Aunt Emily and Quil helped me pick out a dress for Uncle Jakey's 'gagement party and now we're gettin' eggs to make a cake."

My stomach dropped at the mention of Jacob's engagement party. "Well, that sounds like a lot of fun. I'm sure you'll be the prettiest girl there."

Claire preened, "Are you going?"

Emily gave me an embarrassed looked. I glanced back down at Claire and said,"No, I won't be able to go but you give Jacob and Vanessa my best wishes."

Claire nodded and ran to look at a box of her favorite cereal leaving Emily and I alone for a moment.

"How are you doing?"

I shrugged. "About as well as can be expected." I wasn't sure how else to answer that question. I looked at Emily's burgeoning stomach and asked, "How are _you_ doing?"

Emily rested her hands protectively over her stomach and smiled. "I feel great. I just can't wait to meet the little guy."

I envied Emily the excitement and the security she had in her pregnancy. She had Sam by her side each step of the way.

I was also saddened by the distance I felt between us. I thought we were friends once. If things had been different I could have seen this conversation going so differently. We would have been two pregnant ladies commiserating over heartburn, finding clothes that fit and the crazy changes our bodies were going through. Instead, all I felt was awkward. I couldn't tell Emily how hard everything was alone. Charlie was trying to be there for me but it wasn't the same.

I was close to doing another scan to find out if I was having a boy or a girl. The baby hadn't complied at the first scan. I didn't have anyone to go with or to share in the excitement. I was too embarrassed to have Charlie there and I didn't have the nerve to ask Jake if he wanted to go. With my luck he would suggest Vanessa come along as well. So, going alone seemed a better alternative.

"Congrats on finding out that it is a boy. I'm sure Sam must be over the moon. Well, I've got to get going. I told Charlie I would be home in time to cook something for him before he has to go on shift. Otherwise he'll be clogging up his arteries with something from the diner."

Emily smiled at Bella, "Of course. Take care of yourself, Bella".

"Sure. Sure."

xxxxx

I parked the car in front of Charlie's house, grabbed the mail and then a couple of the grocery bags.

"Hey, Dad."

"Bella, you shouldn't be lifting anything."

I smiled at his thoughtfulness as I set the mail and the bags on the tiny kitchen's counter, "Thanks, Dad. If you really want to help, there are a few more bags in the back of the truck."

Charlie went outside as I unpacked the items that I brought in and then sorted through the mail. One of the bigger envelopes was from Portland State University. I stared at the envelope. They had offered me a full scholarship a couple of years ago so when I applied to the schools in Florida I also decided to apply for a transfer to Portland. I slit the envelope and took out a cover page that was in front of a packet of information.

 _"Congratulations, on your acceptance to the Portland State University Undergraduate Program. It is our pleasure to offer a full scholarship to the child of a law enforcement professional. The police benevolence society associated with our University offers one scholarship a year to a deserving student and you have been selected for this year's scholarship. Enclosed is the informational packet that you will need to start your fall semester with the University."_

The letter went on to provide information on housing, classes offered and health requirements. The letter ended with a request for the completed paperwork in 30 days. I plopped down on the kitchen table chair and stared at the letter. I started to laugh at the irony of the timing of the letter.

I wiped a stray tear that fell and looked through the rest of the mail. I stopped when I came to a large hand printed envelope. My hand shook a bit as I tore open the envelope. _"Please help us celebrate the engagement of Jacob Black to Vanessa Waterstone..."_

I stopped reading. I should have been prepared for this after meeting Emily and Claire but it still felt like someone had stabbed me. I started to put the invitation on the counter when I noticed writing on the other side.

" _Bella, please, I know it's a lot to ask but be happy for me and come. You were my best friend. Be my best friend again."_

Charlie walked in at that moment and saw the paper in my hand.

"I'm sorry, kiddo. Billy told me they were sending an invitation."

"It's ok, Dad. Billy's been your best friend your whole life. It's only natural that he would want you to be there for such a big event. "

"You're crazy if you think I would go to Jake's engagement party after what he did to you."

I wasn't sure if I really believed it but said, "Dad, he couldn't help falling in love with someone else."

"Look at you, Bella. You're pregnant with his baby and you expect me to congratulate him on his engagement to another girl? I don't understand why you didn't go to your Mother's. Even, if only to get away from the gossip."

I would have loved to have run away. But the pack wouldn't allow it. They expected me to stay close so they could protect what could eventually be a pack member.

"Dad, Billy would be hurt if you don't go. Look, if I go will you go."

"Do you think that's a good idea?"

I showed him the back side of the invitation.

"Fine, but I don't have to like it."

 **XXXXX**

"Bella, Bella! You came to Uncle Jakey's 'gagement party after all!"

I had but I wasn't sure it was a good idea. I looked around the room and saw the engagement decorations. It was less than six months ago that I was in this same room with Jake celebrating Emily and Sam's wedding. I had such high hopes that night. This was so not how I envisioned my future that night. There was nothing I could do about any of it so I shook off the thought and looked down at the excited little girl.

"Hey Claire-bear, you look beautiful in your new dress."

Claire twirled around so I could get the full effect. I smiled at her preening and wondered if I were to have a little girl if she would look like Claire.

"Wait until you see my present to Uncle Jakey. Quil and I worked on it all week."

"I bet he'll love whatever you made them."

Claire looked in her miniature purse for the present but seemed to come up empty. She looked around the room as if searching for it and then took off running.

I smiled at her exuberance and her energy. I was just starting to feel the effects of the pregnancy on my energy levels. I was in bed by nine and I now took naps. I never liked naps.

I saw Billy as he wheeled over to Charlie and I. "Bella, so glad you make it." His tone seemed forced. Things hadn't been the same since Billy covered for Jacob after he met Vanessa.

"Hi, Billy. You clean up real nice."

Sue Clearwater walked up to them, "Hi, Charlie. Don't you look handsome tonight."

Charlie turned red. Sue put her arm through Charlie's and said, "Let me get you a drink."

I looked around the room and saw Jacob with his arm around Vanessa. They made a striking couple. He looked like his world was complete and she glowed.

"I'm sorry, Bella."

I looked down at Billy. I wasn't totally convinced about that. "Sure Billy, sometimes these things don't work out."

"I'm sorry that the break isn't clean. I know this isn't fair to you. We will be there for you."

I looked around the community center room and saw Sam standing behind Emily with his arms wrapped around what was left of her waist. His hands spanned protectively over her stomach.

"Of course you will," I smiled. But it wouldn't be the same.

"Can I get you something to drink? Some wine?"

I looked back at Billy, "No, I can't have any alcohol."

"Of course. How silly of me."

I felt uncomfortable and wanted to get away. "If you'll excuse me, Billy, I think I'll just say hi to a couple of the girls from the reservation tutoring program."

Billy looked relieved. I made my way across the room. I felt like everyone was staring and whispering about me. I knew I had no choice but to make this work. I raised my chin and kept walking. In classic Bella fashion, I walked right into what felt like a brick wall.

Quil steadied me and then pulled me in for a quick hug. "Hey, Bella. You look beautiful."

"Thanks, Quil."

Before he could say more, a little hand came up between us and Claire tugged on the bottom of Quil's jacket. "Quill," tug. "Quill," tug. "Quill!"

Quil smiled down at the little minx and picked her up in his arms. "What is it Claire-bear?"

She laid her head on his chest and said, "I left the present in the car. Can I go get it?"

"Claire, you know your Mom told you no outside. I'll tell you what. I'll go out to the car in a little while and I'll look for it."

"But they have to have it before 'Nessa opens her presents."

"I know sweetie but we haven't even sat down to eat so I know we have some time. I promise I'll go out before "Nessa opens her presents."

Claire put her hands on both sides of his face and looked deeply into his eyes before saying, "Kay. But don't forget!"

Quil assured her he wouldn't forget, kissed her forehead and put her back down. She immediately ran off to play with a girl her age she spied across the room.

"She's adorable."

"Yeah, but stubborn. So stubborn. She's going to make me gray before I'm twenty. Do you know where you're sitting?"

"No."

"Let me show you."

Quil sat me beside Charlie and Sue who were already at the table and talking quietly. I watched how my father looked at her and I was happy for him. I didn't think it would be too much longer before Charlie realized how much he loved Sue. I hoped he would finally pop the question. It would be nice to know that he was settled with someone. Then I realized that would make Leah and Seth my step brother and sister. Huh. It was funny. She and I never discussed Charlie and Sue.

I sat through the dinner and the speeches. It was hard to hear Embry recount how Jake met and fell for Vanessa. It was even harder to watch Billy and Rachel welcome Vanessa into the family. I held back my tears and tried to smile at the appropriate moments.

Music started and Jake grabbed Vanessa's hand and pulled her to the center of the dance floor. I finally gave into the tears welling in my eyes as I watched Jake gazing lovingly into Vanessa's eyes as they swayed to a slow ballad that must have been "their" song. I realized he and I never had a song in the two years we had been together. They were only together a few months and had a song.

My hand clenched on the tongs of the cake fork as I tried to blink the tears away. The pain from the tongs poking into my hand distracted me for a second. _Great, now I was into self-mutilation. Next I would be cutting myself._

Why was I here putting myself through this torture? But I knew the answer. Jake begged me to come saying it wouldn't be the same without his best friend there. I knew that he would have done the same for me if the roles had been reversed so I came and tried to smile at the appropriate times and tried to avoid the pitying looks I received.

I tore my eyes from Jake and Vanessa and watched my father as he tried to dance Sue Clearwater around the floor. I now knew where I inherited my lack of grace from. Sue didn't seem to mind. She smiled at Charlie like he was Fred Astaire. A nurse that Sue worked with wheeled Billy onto the dance floor and plopped herself on his lap using one foot to move them in zig zags. Finally, I saw Sam and Emily barely swaying beside them. Emily had her hands clasped around Sam's neck as he rubbed her protruding belly to the rhythm of the slow song.

I looked away from the private moments when I caught a glimpse of red sneaking out the door. I looked around the room but no one else seemed to notice. I realized that the streak of red had to have been Claire. I got up from my chair, glad I had an excuse to leave the room and followed the little girl out of the rec center.

It was dark outside with only a few stars that peeked through the misty clouds and hinted at the rain that could be expected the next day. I looked down into my hand realizing that I got up so fast I took the cake fork with me.

I rubbed my empty hand over one arm to ward of the chill. I caught sight of the little girl as she walked across the shell parking lot.

"Claire, what are you doing? You shouldn't be out here by yourself."

Claire stopped running and looked guilty as she turned and saw me, "I'm just getting my present for Uncle Jakey. I think I left it in Sam's car and it has to be in there before they open the presents."

"Okay, sweetheart but you should have asked Quil or Emily to take you out here to get it."

"I did, but Quill kept telling me later. It's later."

I couldn't fault the kid's logic.

The only light in the parking lot came from the lone bulb that shone weakly beside the entrance way of the building. Sam's car was in the darkest corner of the lot.

"Look, why don't we get Sam to look for your present?"

Claire was within steps of her goal and didn't want to chance another adult telling her "later". She ran the rest of the way to Sam's car and yelled back, "No, his car is right here. See? I'll just look in the back seat." She grabbed for the door handle and pulled but nothing happened.

I made my way towards Sam's car. Heels and a shell parking didn't go well together. I saw that Claire was not going to give up on her quest. "Sam must have locked the doors. Come on," I held my hand out to her. "Let's go back to the party and Emily can ask Sam to go out to the car and get the present."

Claire looked at the back seat of the car through the windows. She was clearly disappointed that she could see her gaily wrapped present but couldn't get to it. She reluctantly turned around and walked back towards me.

Before she could take my hand a blur of motion came out between the cars and Claire was being held by a woman dressed in black with cascades of red curls.

Victoria!

"Well, well, what have we here?" She taunted as she looked down at the girl she held up in the air by the back of her dress.

Claire's looked terrified.

"She doesn't smell like a wolf bitch but she clearly has the smell of wolf on her."

"Victoria, let her go."

"Now why would I want to do that," she asked as she dangled a crying Claire in the air.

"She isn't the one you're after. I am."

"That's true but those mutts have gotten in my way one too many times. First killing Laurent and then interfering with my plans for you."

Claire whimpered in fear and in pain.

"Please, Victoria, I beg you. Let the girl go and I'll go with you quietly and you can settle this once and for all."

Victoria just laughed and brought Claire's throat closer to her mouth. "I haven't had the blood of a child in years. I wonder if it still tastes as sweet as I remember," she taunted. Her evil words were in contrast to her little girl voice.

I couldn't let her hurt Claire. She was innocent and only in danger because of me. I suddenly remembered a story from one of the bonfires with Billy. I knew it might buy Claire some time to run away. I took the cake fork I was clenching in my hand and raked it across my forearm. The smell of blood stopped Victoria's mouth's descent to Claire's throat. I pushed harder on the wounds so more blood would ooze out.

Victoria dropped the little girl as she caught the scent of blood in the air like a shark would blood in the water. The little girl lost no time in screaming Quil's name as she ran for the door of the rec building.

Victoria, always confident in her ability to escape at the right moment, ignored Claire as she focused on her new prey.

In a flash she was behind me with her arms like steel bands around my throat and chest. "There's something different about you. Your blood smells different." She sidled closer and inhaled deeply through her nose, "I know what it is. I know that scent. You're pregnant aren't you?"

She whirled around and picked me up by my throat and looked me up and down as my feet dangled. She could see the slight roundness in my belly as the dress tightened against me. "Well, that is rich. We both know it isn't that Cullen boy's. That just isn't possible. So, it must be one of these mutt's baby. So all this time, I've been hunting you and you haven't even been faithful to your vampire lover. I'll have to make sure I tell him that when I kill him."

"Why? Why after so long. The wolves haven't caught your scent here in almost a year."

"Those mutts think they are so smart. Do you think you are the only one that can find someone new? I've had my new companion, Riley, keep an eye on you and give the dogs something to chase periodically. He's not quite trained, you see. I thought he let the cat out of the bag with all of the hiker disappearances. What can you do? Newborns have quite the appetite," she shrugged carelessly.

"You see, he was originally from this area so it helped to find someone I could change that knew the lay of the land. Now, that I have what I've been patiently waiting for," she shook me like a rag doll, "I won't need him anymore. Newborns can also be quite clingy and I find that he bores me."

As she spoke I took a chance and stabbed the fork into Victoria's neck. I knew it might not have any effect but I felt I had to do something, even if only out of defiance. The tongs of the fork just bent as they encountered her rock hard skin.

She laughed at my lame attempt to hurt her. She swung me around and then tossed me against one of the cars with enough force to dent the hood of the SUV.

She stalked over to where I had landed and picked me up by my arm. "So where is your dog lover? Why isn't he protecting you and his pup? Or didn't he want you for more than a few months like the Cullen boy?"

Her words were too close to the truth. I spit in her face and this time she slammed me into a tree. My whole body felt broken. She crouched down preparing to bite when her face started to swim before my eyes. I thought I heard a growl and screams before I lost consciousness.

As I faded in and out of awareness, I heard a cacophony of sounds. There were screams, growls and the sound of stone breaking.

'Bella, Bella, stay with me." I thought it was Jake's voice but that didn't make sense. He was with Vanessa.

Sirens faded in and out and voices told me I was in the hospital and I needed x-rays.

"No. Baby! I'm having a baby."

More voices and then heard screaming. Someone needed to make the screaming stop. Then I realized it was me. There was a tearing feeling in my stomach and I knew that I was losing the baby. "No, no. Please someone help me." They took me in for surgery and covered my face with a mask where the ever present black hole swallowed me up.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	15. Chapter15 Something LostSomething Found

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella.

 **A/N** 1 –Thank you to those who reviewed. I have laughed at some of the comments and been touched by a few others. Thanks for all the great ideas that have been offered. I really appreciate any feedback on the story, writing style, mistakes, etc. I have been trying to be more careful with my tenses. Thanks again and I hope you will stick with this story to see how Bella gets a happy ending.

 **A/N 2** \- Sorry just corrected some of the point of view errors and added some missing dialogue.

 **Chapter 15 – Hospital**

When I woke up, the doctor was there doing his rounds and a nurse was checking my IV.

"Bella, nice to see you are awake. Do you know where you are?"

My mouth was dry and my throat hurt but I managed a hoarse whisper, "Hospital."

"That's right. You were hit by a car outside of the hall on the Quileute reservation."

"Car? No, no. Victoria."

"You think the car was a Crown Victoria. I'll tell your father. Bella, you sustained a concussion, two crack ribs but no broken bones."

"Claire! Is Claire okay?"

"Oh, yes, someone mentioned a little girl. They said you were able to push her out of danger before the car hit you."

Thank God, Claire was okay. Then she realized she felt so empty. Her hand went to her abdomen.

"My baby?"

"I'm sorry. There was some internal bleeding. Witnesses said that the car flung you with so much force you bounced off of the car and against a tree. We did everything we could but the baby didn't make it." The doctor paused. He put down my chart and quietly said, "Your internal injuries were severe, Bella. I'm afraid it's not likely you will be able to get pregnant again."

I closed my eyes. I felt so empty. I started to cry and I couldn't stop. The doctor nodded to a nurse who administered a shot and the black void swallowed me up again. This time I welcomed it.

 **xxxxxx**

I woke to a knock on the door a few hours later. I felt numb. Everything seemed distant and muffled. I heard the wail of an arriving ambulance and the frantic activity of the hospital but it sounded like I was underwater.

Quil walked into the room holding Claire in his arms as if he would never let her go again. He approached the bed slowly and looked at me with sadness mixed with gratitude. "Bella, Claire wouldn't go home until she could see you were alright. She also wanted to give you this."

Quil set her down and Claire timidly approached the bed. She held out a worn teddy bear to me. "This is Rufus. Momma gives him to me whenever I feel sick. He always makes me feel better. Quill said you're sick so I thought Rufus could stay with you until you feel better."

For the first time since the doctor's news, I felt something touch the aching void. Tears welled up in my eyes as I took the tattered teddy bear. "Thank you Claire. Just holding him already makes me feel better."

Claire smiled in relief. Emily came in from the doorway, took the little girl's hand and walked her out of the room. Claire pulled away and ran back to my side. She tugged on Quil's pant leg and whispered to him. He picked her up and she leaned over the bed and gave me a kiss on the cheek. Quil put her back down on the ground and she ran back to a waiting Emily.

Once Claire was gone Quil took Bella's hand and said, "Bella I don't know how I will ever repay you for what you did."

"Quill, you don't owe me anything."

"Yes, I do. We all do. You put yourself between that evil monster and Claire and gave her enough time to get help. You saved her life and by extension you saved mine. I don't think I could have survived losing her."

"I'm glad she is safe."

"Claire said Victoria almost bit her. How were you able to stop her?"

"I distracted her."

"How?"

The side of my mouth raised in a half smile. "Do you remember when Billy told us the story of the third wife's sacrifice? Well I cut my arm and Victoria let go of Claire when she smelled my blood."

Quil looked shocked. He had been at that bonfire. "Bella, I can't thank you enough for protecting Claire. I almost lost my mind when I heard her screaming as she ran back to the hall. "

"What happened with Victoria?"

"Sam and I phased as soon as we saw her in the parking lot. Luckily the other guys were able to keep the rest of the guests in the hall so no one saw two horse size wolves tearing apart that red headed monster."

"Did you burn the pieces?"

"Of course. She'll never bother anyone again."

"Were there any others?"

"Sam has had us search the reservation, the town and even by the old Cullen's place. We didn't see any signs of any other vampires."

"Then I guess I have to thank you too. It's nice to know that I won't have to keep looking over my shoulder for Victoria. I guess we're even."

"Bells, we can never be even. We heard about the baby. I'm so sorry. We know just how much you sacrificed for all of us. We can never repay that but if you ever need us we will be there for you."

"Thanks, Quil. I'm really tired. Do you mind if I just rest for now?"

"Sure. Sure." He leaned down and kissed my forehead. "Rest. We can talk later."

 **xxxxxxx**

I stared out the window beside my hospital bed watching the rain feeling numb and empty when Jake walked through the door. He looked uncomfortable as he laid a bouquet of flowers on the bedside table.

"Vanessa thought you might like these"

I couldn't make eye contact with him.

"I'm sorry, Bella."

When I forced myself to look at him, my heart skipped a beat at the sight of his familiar face. He looked big and safe and I wanted him to take me in his arms and tell me the last few months were just a nightmare and that he still loved me and was happy I would be having his baby.

"Thank you for what you did to save Claire. It was incredibly brave."

"It wasn't brave. It was just stupid Bella being in the wrong place at the wrong time again."

"Quil told us what you said and did to get Victoria to let Claire get away. Your quick thinking save her life."

"Did they tell you about the baby?"

He looked down at his feet and shuffled. Finally, he looked up but all he said was, "Yes."

Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Bella, you sacrificed so much to keep one of ours safe and we can't thank you enough."

 _One of "ours"?_ I thought I was one of theirs. His words drew a line in the sand and it put me clear on the other side from Jake and the pack. He couldn't say more clearly where I stood; on the outside looking in again.

There was an awkward moment of silence. I wondered whether it bothered him at all that I lost his baby?

As if in answer to my silent question, Jake said, "Maybe it's better this way."

My heart broke a little more. How could he say that. Hadn't I paid enough for not being the right girl.

I turned my head away. "Please leave."

"Bella, I just mean.."

"I know what you mean, Jake. Just leave."

He swallowed uncomfortably and left.

 **Something Lost, Something Found**

I was organizing my drawers and closets in anticipation of packing for my move. It had been a month since I had been released from the hospital and given a clean bill of health. It was hard to believe I was packing again. In some ways it seemed like it was just yesterday I was unpacking my things from my move from Phoenix to Forks. Some days it seems like two lifetimes ago. I had changed so much since that 17 year old girl that dreaded switching schools to live with a father that was more an acquaintance than a parent.

I was rooting around the back of my closet and found an old sleeping bag in my way. The material snagged on the floor boards as I dragged it out of the closet. I tugged on the material, expecting the bag to lift free of the floor board. Instead, the bag lifted the floor board. Aggravated, I freed the board from the material and went to drop the board back into place.

I lined up the board but noticed the bedroom light reflected off of something in the space under the floor that the board uncovered. I grabbed my flashlight from my desk drawer and peered into the opening. There was something in the hole. I overcame my fear of spiders and reached into the hole. I felt around and pulled out an envelope, a small box and a CD jewel case.

 _It will be as if I was never here._

I fell back on my bottom. With shaking hands I opened the envelope and found the pictures of Edward that he had removed from my scrapbook. I also found the pictures that were in the letter to Renee that he had offered to mail the day he told me he was leaving. Looking at his face in the pictures I realized that my memories had not done him justice.

Why? Why had he put them here?

With hands that shook, I opened the box from my birthday. It contained the necklace from Rosalie and the plane tickets from Carlisle and Esme. I picked up the necklace and finally took a look at it. The events of that night went south so fast I never really had a chance to see what it had looked like. It was beautiful and obviously expensive. The necklace was gold with varying sizes of briolette cut stones that hanged from the bright gold chain like confetti in shades of dark blue, light blue and topaz. I laid the necklace back into the box and then picked up the CD.

I wiped the dust off the cover and read in Edwards writing, "For Bella on her Birthday because she stubbornly won't let me buy her anything. With all my love forever, Edward." Tears welled up in my eyes. I blinked them away as I took the CD and put it into my CD player. A sob escaped me as I heard the first notes of my lullaby. By the time the song was finished my tears had turned into wails. I cried for the loss of the tiny life I had inside me that had only lasted a moment. I cried for the loss of the future I planned with Edward when I was a naive seventeen year old. I cried for the loss of the small amount of happiness I had tried to eke out for myself with Jake. Most of all I cried for the loss of my innocence and any expectation that something good could happen in my life.

 **A/N** – Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	16. Chapter 16 - New Beginnings

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tried to make it work with Jacob but fate had a different plan. Now Bella is trying to start fresh at college. Again fate intervenes and Bella bumps into the last person she expected, Edward.

 **A/N** 1 – I wanted to tell everyone how encouraging and motivating the reviews are when writing the next chapter. Thank you to those who took the time to write something or offer an idea.

 **Chapter 16 – New Beginnings**

"Iss." No response. "Izzy." No response. "Isabella Marie Swan!"

I looked up from the campus map.

"What?"

"Stop looking at the map and check out the guys giving us the eye by the sculpture."

"What sculpture?"

"The yellow giant sticks that look like French Fries."

I looked at the two guys tossing a football in front of the giant French fries wearing Greek letters on their t-shirts. They were good looking but I couldn't stir up any great interest.

"Look, we have both lived like nuns long enough. This is a new school and a new life. "

I received college transfer acceptances from all the schools I applied to that spring. But the loss was too fresh so I deferred and went to live with Renee in Jacksonville for a while. Charlie had understood my need to get away from the pitying looks and the whispers. I think he had also needed a break from my nightmares. I was shocked when Leah insisted on coming with me. Sam was married, she said, and she needed some space as well to figure out what to do with her life.

So the move to Jacksonville gave Leah time to take the required tests and apply for financial aid. We got jobs cleaning houses during the day and waitressed at night. We saved every penny we made for school and with the scholarship and the financial aid we both received we could afford rent on a decent apartment within walking distance of campus and tuition at Portland State University if we were very careful.

"Somewhere on this campus are two guys that might not be Mr. Right but could be Mr. Right Now."

I ignored her. I know she had my best interests in mind when she pushed me to leave the cocoon I wrapped myself in to not feel pain.

"If you don't feel pain, Bella, you can't feel joy or happiness either. I know you think this hurt will never go away and maybe it won't. But it will lessen," she said the first few days in Jacksonville.

I knew she was right but that hadn't stopped the nightmares. One night, she followed me out of the house and to the beach that was within walking distance of Renee's house. I sat on the beach and watched as the sun started to come up over the horizon. I should have seen the beauty or the promise of the new day but all I saw was emptiness. "Leah, I'm never going to have another baby."

She put her arm around me as we watched the surf break and rush towards our bare feet, "I know, Bella. I'm so sorry."

"The funny thing is, I didn't even think I wanted children. If you had asked me about kids I would have said I raised my Mom and that was enough for me. It wasn't until the possibility was taken away from me that I realized just what I lost."

Leah held me while I cried. She walked me back to the house and for two weeks she let me feel sorry for myself. Then she took the gloves off. She wouldn't let me sink into the catatonic depression that I felt the first few weeks after I had lost the baby. She yelled at me to get up each morning when I would have hid under the covers in the room we shared at Renee's house. Renee heard about how I acted when Edward left so she was afraid to push me. Leah had no such reservations. She threw water on me and dragged me kicking and screaming into the land of the living. I hated her at the time but I owed her so much. Without her support I don't know if I could have tried for this fresh start. She scoffed at that and said it was just as much her fresh start as mine.

"It's hard to believe we are back in the Pacific Northwest. I already miss the sun. How is it possible that the one college to give us the most scholarships and aid is only a few rankings down from Forks on number of overcast days?"

She looked up at the hazy sky and sighed. "I miss Florida."

I looked at her, "You know we could have been Florida Gators right now?"

"I know but with Mom pregnant I didn't want to be so far away."

For a second I felt my stomach clench but I had to let it go and be happy for my father. It was crazy to think of Charlie married to Sue and a new dad again at his age. Leah had gone back for the wedding but Charlie had understood when I stayed in Jacksonville. It was too soon. I promised I would try to visit during Christmas break.

"Besides," Leah had to have the last word, "With your coloring you wouldn't have looked good in orange and blue."

I laughed at the truth of that statement.

"Where's your first class?"

"The Classic's building."

"Mine's at the Science building. I'll meet you outside of your classroom after class and we'll grab a coffee at the Starbucks across from the arena."

I walked across the quad to the Classic's building. I found the right classroom after a few wrong turns but made it to class with a few minutes to spare. I looked around the room and found an empty desk near the back of the room.

A handsome man in his forties came in and stood behind the podium at the front of the room and all the girls sat up a little straighter. "Greetings, I'm Professor Philip Spann, and this is "The Glory that is Greece." Predictably, at least one student looked down at their schedule in confusion, grabbed their books in a panic and scurried out of what would seem to be the wrong classroom.

The Professor smiled, "I want to remind everyone that Thursday is the last day of drop/add so if you think ancient Greece is not for you, that is the time to decide." With that business out of the way he started his lecture.

Fifty minutes later, I packed up my laptop and found Leah outside the building.

"How was class?"

"Good. The Professor was really interesting. He's going to make studying ancient Greek history bearable."

"I heard he's hot. Is Izzy hot for teacher?"

I bumped my shoulder into her shoulder, "He's at least 40, Leah."

"Hey, that is younger than your first boyfriend!"

I gave her the stink eye but could see the humor of her comeback.

Leah suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"I smell something."

"Hey, that was not me."

She gave me a withering look and told me to be quiet. She scanned the quad. I saw as she got tenser and tenser. She suddenly spun around and pushed me behind a wall. Then she went back to the middle of the walkway.

I peered around the corner of the wall, to see what had gotten her so worked up. My stomach dropped.

"It can't be," she muttered.

Of course it could. I was forever fates bitch.

Walking across the quad was Edward Cullen with a beautiful blond hanging on his every word. A breeze blew by and I saw him tense and look around. His companion noticed and she too started to scan the quad. Both zeroed in on Leah.

Edward and his companion walked up to Leah but failed to notice me. I must have been upwind from them.

"You are a member of the Quileute tribe."

Leah nodded.

"I'm Edward Cullen."

"I know who you are."

Edward seemed surprised at her directness,

"Look, I don't want any trouble. My family has a treaty with your tribe and we would consider it in force here as well."

Edward's companion looked confused by the conversation.

Leah replied. "I'm the only one here so I think treaty boundary issues are mute."

I walked out from behind the wall and stood next to Leah, "Hello, Edward."

He looked stunned. "Bella?"

His companion, tired of being ignored, looped her arm through Edward's obviously staking her claim and asked, "Aren't you going to introduce us, Edward?"

She was incredibly beautiful with model features and a perfect body. I could see by her golden eye color, she too was a vampire that followed the Cullen's diet. _Oh dear God, was this his mate?_

"Please excuse my poor manners. Tanya this is Leah and this is Bella. Ladies, this is Tanya."

"Bella?" I could tell by her tone and reaction that Tanya had heard my name before. "Well, isn't this a coincidence." She obviously knew who I was. Did Edward and she laugh at the stupid human that fell in love with a vampire? Did he tell her how pathetically clingy I had been?

All I could think of was escape. "Well it was nice seeing you, Edward. Give my best to your family," I said as I dragged Leah away.

"Bella, wait," Edward cried out but I had no intention of watching him with Tanya a minute longer.

Leah looked back at Edward and Tanya and her expression was enough to stop him from following.

xxx

I couldn't stop shaking. _Stupid, stupid, stupid, Bella._ I walked back to the apartment near campus in a near daze. I let myself in and stared around the room blindly for a second or two. There were boxes scattered in the living room/dining room area. Charlie and Seth had driven from Forks the previous weekend to drop off clothes and supplies. Now that Sue had moved in with Charlie, Sue had boxed up items we left behind when we went to Jacksonville as well as any duplicate house hold items that we might use in our new place.

I really needed to get this stuff unpacked and organized, I thought. I put down my backpack and keys and grabbed a knife from the kitchen to break the seal on one of the boxes.

"Bella, are you okay?"

I stabbed the knife into the tape between the two cardboard tabs and then jerked the knife down to cut the tape. The knife got caught in the tape so I ripped it out of the seam and stabbed down again.

"Uh, Bells, you are scaring me and the boxes. Why don't you put down the knife?"

I looked up in some surprise, "Sure. Sure." The box was open by this time so I started to unpack some pots and pans and a toaster.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?"

"The giant elephant in the room or in this case the sparkly vampire?"

"What's to talk about? So the Cullens are here. What does that have to do with me?"

"Come on. Don't you think that this is pushing the laws of coincidence a bit too far? Out of all the colleges that you choose, they just happen to be at the same one?"

Before Bella could form a reply, someone knocked at the door.

Oh good, a reprieve.

Leah shouted from the door. "It's for you, Bella."

Or maybe not.

 _Oh God, please don't let it be Edward. I don't think I could handle it._

"Bella!" Alice's voice tinkled from the doorway. She practically ran Leah over and scooped me up in her tiny arms in an excited hug, "I am so happy to see you!"

"Can't breath."

She laughed and loosened her arms. I inhaled a quick breath and stepped back from the vibrating pixie.

"I had to run over here when Edward called to tell the family that he had seen you on campus today. I've missed you so much and I couldn't wait another day to see you."

"Alice," I answered somewhat coolly.

Alice looked a bit surprised at my lukewarm response to her effusive greeting. Not to be put off, "I'm so glad you are finally here! Now I will have someone to shop with, take classes with and gossip with!"

Leah seemed to be more on the ball that I was, "Finally? What do you mean by finally?"

"I'm sorry, we haven't been introduced," Alice said using her best junior league manners that Esme would have been proud of.

"Alice this is Leah Clearwater. She is from the Quileute reservation back in Forks.

Alice sniffed, "You're a wolf."

Leah smirked, "You're a blood sucking psychic."

Alice just smiled at her snarky reply. "I think I'm going to like you." She declared.

I was impatient that we had strayed from the topic. "I guess you _saw_ me coming to Portland State University?"

"Um, not exactly," Alice said with some chagrin. "You see, after you broke up with Edward, he asked me not to look for you anymore."

All I heard was _after you broke up with Edward._

"After I did what?" I bellowed.

"You know… broke up with Edward after you birthday."

"Alice, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I can't tell you how sorry Jasper and I felt about that whole debacle. If I hadn't insisted you have that party then maybe Jasper wouldn't have made you feel like your life was so at risk that you had to leave us. Edward explained that you needed a break from all the danger that we seemed to attract. He said you asked for a chance to have a normal high school experience. One in which you didn't have to worry about someone constantly trying to kill you"

Leah snorted, "Well that was an epic fail."

Alice looked confused.

"Edward lied to you," I said between gritted teeth. "I didn't break up with him. _He_ broke up with me."

"No, that's not possible."

"Oh, it is absolutely possible. I can't believe he lied to you. I can't believe you believed him. As for leaving me in order to keep me safe, you should have put a little more thought into that plan."

"What do you mean?"

"Victoria!" I spat out.

"Bella, Edward tracked Victoria down to Rio. He found burnt remains that he determined were hers not long after we left you."

"Well, next time you leave a pet behind you should make sure the ashes are correctly identified."

"Pet, what pet?"

"That is what Laurent called me when he found me in the meadow that Edward used to take me. He showed up a few months after you left me. He said _Aren't you sort of a pet of the Cullens?_ Victoria had sent him to see if you had returned or if any of you stayed behind to watch out for me."

Alice looked devastated.

"He told me that he would kill me quick unlike Victoria who wanted to see me suffer. A mate for a mate, she said. Little did she know how little I really meant to Edward."

"That's not true, Bella!"

"Please," I said with disbelief. "If it weren't for the Quileute wolves I would be dead right now."

"Bella, really? Werewolves? Edward was right. You are a danger magnet. Weren't you supposed to be staying out of trouble?"

"There's nothing wrong with werewolves," I grumbled, stung by her critical tone.

"Until they lose their tempers."

"Hey!" Leah protested.

Alice ignored her and shook her head sharply from side to side. "Leave it to you, Bella. Anyone else would be better off when the vampires left town. But you have to start hanging out with the first monsters you can find."

"No, Alice, not all the vampires left. If it weren't for the wolves, Laurent would have gotten me before Victoria could. At least they were there for me." Alice looked abashed. "Laurent was so distracted by a pack of horse sized wolves I was able to get away from him. Only later did I find out that the wolves tore Laurent apart and burned the pieces. Unfortunately, I didn't end there. For the next year and a half Victoria played cat and mouse with the wolves."

"I can't believe Edward could be so mistaken. Our leaving didn't do you any good at all, did it?" Alice murmured.

I laughed once – it was a slightly hysterical sound. "That was never the point, though, was it? I begged Edward to let me come with you and do you know what he said? _Bella, I don't want you to come with me."_

Alice looked shocked but I continued, "He said, _Of course, I'll aways love you ….in a way. I realize that it is time for a change and I'm tired of pretending I'm something I'm not. I've let this go on much too long_. _You're human, your memory is like a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind._ When I asked him about his memory he said, _While I won't forget, my kind is easily distracted."_

I thought Alice would have cried if she could have produced tears. "Bella, that isn't true."

"Don't worry about it."

"What do you mean? At the very least, we need to tell Carlisle and the rest of the family about Victoria."

"Alice, Victoria is gone. Two of the wolves, Sam and Quil, took care of Victoria last July."

Alice looked relieved and then said, "Look, Bella, Edward lied to you. He lied to us. I'm so sorry that you had to rely on the wolves for your safety. I swear that if any one of the family had thought you would still be in danger after we left, we would have refused to leave Forks."

She could tell from my expression that I didn't look convinced. "How could you not have seen the danger, Alice?"

"Edward convinced us you were safer without us and that you wanted a normal life. We could understand that. We had no reason to not believe him. He said, _Don't look for her future. We've done enough damage._ You don't know what he was like after we left. He looked broken. When he asked me to stop, I thought it was kinder to him to do as he asked. I thought you broke up with him. I thought that it would only prolong the agony if he saw you in my visions. _"_

"Why didn't you say goodbye?"

"Bella, you don't know how many times Edward had to uproot himself because of one of Jasper's or Emmett's slips. This is the first time he ever asked us to do something for him. We all felt like we owed it to him to do what he asked. I wanted to talk to you after he told us you broke up with him. I wanted to plead with you to change your mind. Reassure you that Jasper would never try to hurt you again. He asked me not to. He told me that a clean break would be easier for him and for you."

"Shouldn't you have seen Laurent coming to Forks?"

"I haven't been able to see any clear glimpses of you since about four months after we left Forks."

"What?"

"To be honest, I didn't see you meeting Edward today and if I try right now I can't see anything now."

I thought about the timing of when she couldn't see my future. "Four months?" Alice nodded. I looked over at Leah, "That is about the time that I started to hang out with the pack."

I could tell that Leah noticed that I hadn't mentioned Jacob's name, just 'the pack'.

Alice quickly made the connection, "You think the wolves interfere with my gift? Hmm. That is an interesting theory. We'll have to see what Carlisle thinks when you come see the family."

 _The family? No. No way._

"I don't think that is such a good idea, Alice."

"Of course it is. You know Esme and Carlisle will want to see you. So will Jasper and Emmett. We can all sit down and get to the bottom of this with Edward."

"Alice, Edward made his choice. Regardless of the lie he told you and your family, he made it clear that he wanted nothing more to do with me. I've respected his decision and I hope that you will respect mine now when I say that I think it is better for everyone that we don't have any contact."

"Bella, you don't mean that. You are my best friend."

"Alice, best friends don't leave without saying goodbye."

"I know it seemed that way but you don't know everything, Bella."

"I know enough. Now, I'm really tired. Can we call this a night?"

Alice looked hurt but she said quietly, "Of course, Bella. If that is what you want."

I felt terrible as she walked out the door but I knew this was for the best. I couldn't open myself up again. I couldn't hope again. Too many pieces of me were broken.

 **A/N** – The dialogue is not verbatim from New Moon but I think it captures the essence. Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	17. Chapter 17 - Old Friends

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tried to make it work with Jacob but fate had a different plan. Now Bella is trying to start fresh at college. Again fate intervenes and Bella bumps into the last person she expected, Edward.

 **A/N** 1 – Sorry for the delay. I had to take a break because of work and most importantly to make sure I had this half of the story plotted out which I can now say I do. Yeah! Yesterday a guest left a review which was the first I've received in a few weeks and I can't tell you how much that motivated me to post this chapter. Please, take the time to leave a review. You can't believe what a difference it makes to the authors. I wanted to tell everyone how encouraging and motivating the reviews are when writing the next chapter. Thank you to those who took the time to write something or offer an idea.

 **Chapter 17 – Old Friends**

"Are you ready to talk?" Leah asked as I placed my cereal bowl in the sink.

"Talk about what?"

"Come on Bella, I didn't bother you the other night because I know emotions were running high and you had a lot of information to process."

"What is there to process? So, Edward lied." I said, but inside I couldn't believe that he made me the bad guy and that his family actually believed it. "It doesn't change anything."

"And seeing him with that woman, Tanya, didn't bother you?"

Of course it bothered me. It felt like I was punched in the solar plexus. "Why should it? I knew he would move on. He made it clear that "his kind" is easily distracted." He certainly changed his type. Tanya was my polar opposite. She was tall, blond, blue eyed and had a figure straight out of the pages of Playboy. Everything about her said seduction.

"Do you still have feelings for him?"

I honestly didn't know what to say to Leah. I was really confused. I wasn't sure how I felt about what Alice had revealed. I wasn't sure how I felt about seeing Edward again. When he first left, I prayed every day that he would come back to me. I thought that even if we didn't get back together I wanted to know that I could at least see him from a distance. The way he left and took every evidence of our time together created a void. He made me question whether we ever really happened.

That just made me angrier. I don't understand how he could have been so cruel as to leave me in such a way that made me question my own sanity. I even checked the school year books for his picture at a very low moment my senior year. There were no pictures of any of the Cullens in any of the yearbooks.

"Look, I have to go or I'm going to be late for class."

She wasn't satisfied and I knew it. "Fine, but this conversation isn't over."

A small reprieve at least. I grabbed my backpack and locked the door behind me as I left the apartment.

XXXX

I could run from Leah but I couldn't run from myself. The walk to campus left too much time to think. I was with Jake for two years and with Edward only months but I still remembered the heady feeling of being in love with him. _Maybe there is something about first love that marks a person for life._

I had convinced myself that I was special to Edward but that couldn't have been true if he could have lied to his family about us like that. I cringed at my immaturity. Over the year's I came to the conclusion that Edward's inability to read my thoughts made me stand out from the crowd for him. I was really just a novelty that he mistook for something more and that quickly wore off for him.

I grabbed a coffee from a kiosk near the library and briskly walked to one of the large assembly halls.

"OH MY GOD! Bella! Bella Swan! Is that really you?"

 _OMG, indeed._ Lauren Mallory. _And the hits keep coming._ I noticed that her blonde hair was long again. Jessica told me that Lauren had cut it after senior year because some "model scout" told her she could find modeling work if she got an edgier look and some professional face shots. So fifteen inches of hair shorter and fifteen thousand dollars poorer, she had booked one catalog job. Now she was fifteen pounds heavier but the hair had grown back.

"Hi, Lauren."

"I can't believe it's you. Long time no see. How long have you been here?"

"This is my first semester. I didn't know you were here."

"Well, I did some modeling after graduation but Tyler convinced me to come to school here with him." She looked over to the girl beside her and said. "This is my roommate Lisa. Lisa, this is Bella Swan. I think I mentioned her a few times. We went to Forks High School together junior and senior year."

Super, I made Lauren's high school story list. I saw Lisa mouth "Bella Zombie" to Lauren and Lauren nodded and smirked. I tried to change the subject from me to one that I knew Lauren liked, "So Tyler goes here too?"

Her eyes narrowed at my question. Uh oh, I think I hit a sore spot. She tossed her hair and shrugged, "No, we broke up freshman year and he transferred over to UW. Speaking of exes, yours is here," she said smugly.

"Excuse me?" I knew she wasn't talking about Jake.

"Edward Cullen! He and his family have been going here for the last two years. I see him, Alice and Jasper on campus from time to time." She turned to Lisa and said, "Those were the people I told you about, Lisa. The foster kids that's were adopted by a Doctor and his wife and then they all hooked up."

Lauren turned back to me after Lisa nodded. "You don't look surprised."

"I'm not. I saw them on the first day of classes."

"Oh, so I guess you met his girlfriend?" Lauren tried to score one more hit. "Every time I've seen him on campus he is with some blond. I think he said her name was Tanya."

I tried to appear nonchalant, "Well, like you said, he is an ex. It's been three years. I expect he would have moved on like I did."

I was an idiot. That gave her the perfect opening for her next shot. "Oh yeah, my Mom mentioned that you were seeing someone from the reservation for a while. I heard that it didn't work out," Lauren said while trying to work up a look of sympathy. "You've always had a hard time keeping your boyfriends, haven't you Bella."

"Well, I'd love to catch up more but I'm going to be late for class. It was really great to see you Lauren. Nice to meet you Lisa," I lied.

"Yeah, you too. We'll have to do coffee or lunch next time and really catch up on the whole gang."

"Sure, sure." I said as I started to walk towards my class. I could just hear her whispers to her roommate. "That's the girl I told you that like wigged out when this guy dumped her. Five bucks she goes all stalkerish on his ass when she sees him here."

Some things just didn't change. I shook my head and headed up the stairs of the four story general assembly building. I found the right classroom and tried to forget my run in with Lauren but the thought kept coming up, Edward and Tanya had been together at least the last two years. That was a long time for a vampire to visit a coven the size of the Cullens. Did that mean she was his mate?

I found a seat about midway up the lecture hall. I pulled up the class syllabus on my laptop and looked it over until I noticed the background noise in the room changed. I assumed that signaled the entry of the teacher. It didn't.

"Bella, what a coincidence!" Alice chimed as she, Jasper and Edward walked up the steps to my row. They were long used to the whispers and looks of admiration when they entered a room and they ignored the stir that they had created in the other students. "Do you mind if we sit with you?"

I wanted to act like this was a surprise, but I knew Alice too well. "Would it matter if I said no?"

"Of course not," Alice said cheerfully as she organized herself in the spot next to me. Jasper sat beside her and Edward sat to my other side.

"So all three of you just happened to have this intro level Sociology class?"

"I know!" Alice drawled cheerfully, "Crazy isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes at Alice and looked over at Jasper with a raised eyebrow. He shrugged and said, "Hello, Bella. It's so nice to see you again."

I looked at Edward. He at least looked uncomfortable. He nodded his head in acknowledgement, "Bella."

Alice quickly said, "Isn't it great, we can study together."

I just stared at her for a second. "Yeah, it's super," I said with fake enthusiasm.

"Well, I see you have been working on your sarcasm while we were apart," Alice said riley. Before I could come back with anything witty, the teacher walked in and we settled into class.

I tried not to look over at Edward but sometimes it felt like there was a magnet pulling me like a moth to a flame. He had already burned me once, yet there was a part of me that didn't care.

I listened intently to the lecture for a few minutes and as a reward I weakly let myself look at him surreptitiously. I wanted to stare. After three years, he was here. So near I could have stretched out my hand and touched him. I clenched my fists in my lap as if to stop myself from the impulse.

 _Get over it Bella, you are not the same person you were when you met him_. _He_ looked the same of course. I compared him to the only other person I had any intimate knowledge of, Jake. While Jake was handsome in a chiseled way Edward was perfect symmetry. I had read an article once that said facial symmetry is almost a universal standard of beauty. Something about it telling a prospective partner that the attached body will have good genes. I remembered that Edward looked at his and his siblings' symmetrical beauty differently. To him it was just one tool of the monster to lure prospective victims.

Edward was powerfully built but in a lithe and sleek way. With a pang, I still remembered the feel of Jake's muscles when I would run my hands down his chest to his washboard abs. I thought of all the times Jake made me feel safe and cherished in his powerful embrace. It was all an illusion with him like it was an illusion with Edward. Both of them had promised to love me and to never leave me and both moved on as if I meant nothing to them. I had to protect myself this time. I wasn't going to be a fool again.

A few minutes before the end of the lecture I felt a breeze move my hair and a note suddenly appeared in front of me. I looked down, absently noting his perfect script looked like something off of a wedding invitation. It read, _"Bella, Would you do me the great favor of meeting me after class so we can talk."_

I looked over at Edward and shook my head no.

My haired moved again, "Please, It is urgent that we speak so I can explain. Alice told me what you spoke about last night and I really need to apologize and explain some misunderstandings."

Before I could respond, the class ended and I packed up my laptop. Alice and Jasper had already walked out of the room when I looked up. Edward stood beside me with his hands in his pockets as if he didn't know what to do with them.

"Edward, I can't stop you from showing up in my classes but I don't have to spend any further time with you. I think you were very clear when we last saw spoke in Forks. I don't think we have anything else to say to each other."

"Please, Bella. Can you just give me a few minutes? You don't understand."

Before I could answer a voice from the doorway called out, "Edward, there you are! Did you forget that we were supposed to meet?"

I looked at the beautiful blond and then back to the boy I once worshipped. "I think I understand quite well. It looks like your distraction is calling you."

Edward winced, but let me leave.

"Bella," Tanya acknowledged as I passed her in the doorway. She looked very smug.

xxxx

I don't know why I even let myself think of Edward. He moved on, I moved on and I wasn't the same person he knew. In comparison to the time I spent with Jake, my time with Edward was short and tame. I knew a big part of his attraction to me was that we had both been virgins. I hadn't pushed him past his self-imposed boundaries because I hadn't known how. More importantly, I had been afraid of his rejection.

I wasn't that Bella anymore. I wasn't innocent anymore. I was tired of feeling stupid and guilty. I slammed the apartment door and yelled, "Leah, are you here?"

Leah popped her head around from the kitchen, "Hey, what's up?" She wiped her hands on a dish towel.

"Let's go look for Mr. Right Now!"

Leah looked surprise but smiled. "Normally, I would be asking a lot of questions but I'm so happy that you are willing to go out, I'm just going to say yes before you change your mind. Come on, I made some dinner for us. Let's eat and then we can get ready to go out. I have the perfect outfit for you."

A couple of hours later Leah declared, "You look hot!"

I looked at myself in the mirror. Even I had to admit that I looked good. Leah had picked out some low rise black pants, a push up bra and a tight black t-shirt for me. She stood behind me in the mirror and pointed out, "The genius of this shirt is that when you move it's going to show enough skin to get a guy thinking but it doesn't scream easy."

I liked it the outfit because it was sexy but still within my comfort zone. Leah on the other hand wasn't as shy about hiding her light under a bushel. She was in short but tailored shorts that made her naturally tan legs look a mile long. She dressed the shorts up with a bolero jacket and some sexy heels.

She brushed one last sweep of blush over my pale cheek and said, "Come on. Let's go have some fun."

We locked up the apartment and walked towards the stadium. It was Thursday night, the unofficial start of the college weekend. The commercial side of the street across from the stadium was littered with restaurants and bars. This was a favorite area for students to bar crawl from bars with sports themes, to hipster bars and then to a few low key dives.

Leah led me into one of the dives called CJ's that was packed with people. The bouncer took Leah's ID and then looked at mine. I was a little nervous. It was a fake ID we picked up in Florida. He looked at it closely and then stamped my hand. Leah and I walked through the doors and the place was a zoo. "It is Beer 'til you Bust night."

"What's that?" I asked her.

"Everybody drinks unlimited beer and up to five shots for free until the first person goes to the bathroom. Then it's back to normal prices."

So, we were four deep near the bar as I looked around. The place had picnic tables and had a cement floor. I commented on the simple décor to Leah and she explained, "Yeah, they keep it basic. They pretty much just hose the place down at the end of the night."

That made sense because my feet were sticking to concrete floor from all the spilled beer.

"This is ridiculous." Leah muttered as we made little progress to the bar and getting a drink. I saw her take her jacket off which covered up a bustier. She handed me the jacket and then elbowed her way through the crowd. Nope, this girl was not shy. It took less than three steps before three different guys took one look at her, the cleavage on display and offered to get her drinks. She smiled and asked for two beers and two shots. Within seconds she handed me my beer and shot and I found a picnic table with some space. Leah followed me with her drinks and brought two of her helpful minions with her.

"Bella, this nice man is Luke and this is his frat brother Kyle." I put my drinks on the table and then turned back to Luke to offer my hand. Kyle's eyes followed how my shirt ran up and flashed my belly button. Leah noticed and gave me an 'I told you so' look. She then maneuvered me so that I stood beside Kyle and she flashed a smile at Luke.

The music was good but made conversation tough. I noticed that Kyle would get right up on my ear when he spoke so I could catch what he said. He was nice. He was around six foot and if his shirt was any indication he had a fantastic chest. After two beers I noticed that each time he said something it seemed wittier and his breath tickled my ear. Leah raised her eyebrows at me the second time I giggled.

Suddenly, there was a stir in the bar. "Oh man, I don't envy that guy," Kyle said as he looked over at the bathrooms. Some guy with glasses and some baggy shorts tried to discreetly get into the bathroom. The room erupted into a chant, "Bust, bust, bust, bust…."

The kid in glasses gave an embarrassed look and went into the bathroom to the groans and protests of the bar patrons. There was a mad scramble to the bar in an effort to get the last of the free drinks. I laughed when the crowd pelted the guy as he exited the bathroom with rolled up beer napkins, popcorn and even a few appetizers. That seemed to be the signal for a dash by some desperate drinkers to the bathrooms. It didn't take long before there was the usual long line to the lady's room.

Once we finished the last of the five shots, the rest of the night was a bit of a muffled blur. I know there was flirting and then standing on the picnic benches singing along with the whole bar to Billy Joel's "Piano Man". I know we danced and there might have been a bit of grinding and maybe an attempt to a twerk. The evening ended in groans when one of the bartenders rang a bell and shouted out last call. Leah and I made our way to the exit and the two guys offered to walk us home.

Kyle and I had fallen back from Leah and Luke who looked to be in a deep conversation.

"So, can I see you again?"

He was nice and the buzz made me feel optimistic. "Sure, that would be nice."

I looked over at Leah and Luke who were in the middle of a hot clinch. Embarrassed, I quickly looked back at Kyle.

Kyle smiled ruefully at our friends and then asked for my number. He punched my phone number in his cell phone and leaned over to give me a kiss on my cheek. I was tired of being timid Bella. I turned a little bit and it landed on the corner of my mouth. Kyle pulled back in surprise but smiled and then put his hands on my waist and pulled me closer. This time he leaned in and gave me a full on kiss. He tasted like beer and I responded when he opened his mouth. I realized that this was only the third guy I had ever kissed. It was nice, no bells or whistles but not bad for Mr. Right Now.

Kyle pulled back and smiled. "Sure we can't walk you to your door?"

"That's ok, we'll be fine. Well, goodnight."

"Night Bella, I'll call you."

Famous last words but maybe he would.

I waved goodbye to Kyle and then Leah and I walked the rest of the way to the apartment. We stumbled up the stairs giggling and for a few minutes it felt good to be young.

We didn't see the golden eyed man watching us from a distance. We didn't hear the sound of concrete crumbling by the clenched hands on the wall.

 **A/N** –Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Again, reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	18. Chapter 18 - Left Alone

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tried to make it work with Jacob but fate had a different plan. Now Bella is trying to start fresh at college. Again fate intervenes and Bella bumps into the last person she expected, Edward.

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to everyone that left reviews on the last posting. Thank you to those who took the time to write something or offer an idea.

 **Chapter 18 – Left Alone**

Two days later, Kyle called. I was pleasantly surprised. "Hi, Bella."

"Kyle, how's it going?"

"Good, good. Look, I was wondering what's your schedule like tomorrow? Do you have any time to catch a coffee?"

"Sure, how about around one."

They talked for a few minutes and then hung up.

"Isabella Marie Swan, are you smiling?" Leah asked as she carried the laundry basket to the living room to fold. "Did I hear the phone ring?"

"Yeah, that was Mr. Right Now. He wants to grab a coffee."

"Nice. Good for you."

Leah's phone rang next. "Maybe this is Luke and we can make it a foursome."

"Hello? Seth! Hey, how are you? How's Mom and Charlie?" Leah listened for a few seconds and then said, "Do they know what's wrong?"

"Is it Sue?" I asked trying to move closer to hear her side of the conversation.

Before I could get any more of the conversation, Leah said, "Ok, I'll see you in a few hours."

Leah ended the call and turned to me, "Charlie took Mom to the hospital she's spotting. I think I'm going to drive to Forks and make sure she is okay."

"Of course. Let me pack a few things and I'll come with you," I said as I followed her into her room.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Bella," she said as she grabbed a bag from the closet. "You're finally getting to a good place. If this goes badly it's only going to bring back bad memories for you. There really isn't anything for both of us to do," Leah said as she threw some clothes the bag.

"No, I'll be okay. I should be there too."

Leah zipped up the bag and looked up at me, "It doesn't make sense for both of us to miss class. Let me see what is going on and if I think you need to come home, I promise I'll call you."

I followed her to the door and gave her a hug, "Okay, but call me as soon as you know something."

XXXX

I sat in class and looked at my cell phone for the fifth time hoping to see a text from Leah. I tried calling Charlie's cell but he turned it off. I knew from the number of times I found myself in Forks Community Hospital that they made family and friends turn off their cell phones when in the hospital. Technology hadn't quite caught up to Forks.

"Is everything ok?" Edward asked.

I put the cell phone back on the table and broke down, "Leah got a phone call from her brother that her Mom was taken to the hospital. She left this morning to drive to Forks. "

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry. Is she is going to be ok?"

"That's what I'm waiting to hear."

"You and Leah have gotten quite close," Edward commented.

"Technically, we're sisters."

"What?" Alice said with a shriek.

"Well, step-sisters. Charlie married Sue Clearwater and they are expecting a baby. Sue's a little over six months along. "

"And she had to go to the hospital?"

"Yeah, Seth said she was spotting and Charlie took her to the emergency room."

Edward excused himself and came back to the classroom right before the teacher started to lecture.

Edward wrote on a piece of paper in his beautiful script. _Sue is fine. They are going to keep her in the hospital at least overnight just to make sure the spotting has stopped._

I looked up at Edward with gratitude in my eyes and wrote below his writing in my much messier scrawl. _How do you know?_

 _Carlisle called the hospital and checked on Sue. One of his old scrub nurses gave him the update._

I squeezed his cold hand and whispered, "Thank you."

He looked down at my hand for a second and then looked up at me and smiled. I quickly withdrew my hand when I realized I had touched him. I knew my face had to be red. Stupid blushing.

I was able to concentrate on the lecture a little better after that. The class was "Introduction to Shakespeare" and we were discussing why Shakespeare's work is relevant today.

"Shakespeare wrote during the late 1500's and early 1600's. Language evolves. Yet we can read his work today and for the most part understand it. Can anyone tell me why we can still understand Shakespeare today?" Professor Graff asked.

No one seemed to want to answer the question. Graff looked at his seating chart. Edward smirked. "Mr. Whitlock. Would you like to take a guess?"

"Yes, sir," Jasper sat a little straighter. "King James of England commissioned the most prominent writers between 1604 and 1611 to complete an English translation of the Bible. It is the standard bible translation that most Christians use even today. So the writing style of Shakespeare is similar to what most people have heard in church and Sunday school."

"Very good, Mr. Whitlock." The teacher went on to discuss an overview of Shakespeare's accepted pieces of work.

Edward made some very discreet kissing noises. I laughed at their antics. It reminded me too much of some of the light hearted moments we had back in Forks.

A few minutes before class finished I received a text from Leah saying pretty much what Edward wrote. The teacher ended the lecture and I packed up my laptop.

"So Charlie and Sue Clearwater," Alice mused. "Can't say I saw that coming. And you! Now you have a brother, a sister and another one on the way. Do they know if they are having a boy or a girl?"

Now that I knew Sue was out of danger it was easier to say, "They're old school. They want to be surprised."

"I'll have to make a note to buy gender neutral," Alice said thoughtfully. Another thought occurred to her, "So you are by yourself tonight?"

"Yeah," I confirmed as we walked out of the classroom.

"Then why don't you come over to our place? We really need to talk. Edward explained everything and while we are not happy with him, he really needs to set the record straight."

I looked over at Edward. He had repeatedly asked to talk but what could he really say to make any of what happened better. He looked hopeful. Maybe the relief that Sue was alright made me soft but I gave in.

I nodded.

Alice squealed and said, "Great. We'll pick you up around six."

XXXX

I phoned Leah as soon as I was by myself. I appreciated the text but I wanted to hear everything she knew. "She's okay. She's considered a high risk pregnancy because of her age and they said spotting sometimes happens. They recommended that she stay overnight in the hospital tonight and then go on bed rest for a few days. If she is has any further issues she may have to do bed rest until the end of the pregnancy."

"Should I come home?"

"No, Mom said to stay where you are. She said she feels bad enough that she disrupted my schedule it will only make her feel worse if you miss classes too."

"I feel guilty. I should be helping as well."

"You can make it up by cleaning the hair out of the shower drain."

"Gross, can't I just give you a kidney?'

Leah laughed. "I'll give you a call tomorrow. Barring any setbacks I should be back in two days."

"How's Charlie holding up?"

"He's great! He's been so supportive of Mom. He won't leave her side. It's really sweet how he dotes on her. You are lucky you have such a great Dad."

"Hey, I'm sharing him with you now so you are lucky to have two great dads."

"Thanks, Bella."

We spoke for a few minutes more about logistics, boxes we left behind in Forks and how Seth was dealing with everything.

"Ok, well give everyone my love and call me if anything changes."

I looked at my watch. It was early. I hadn't spent any time in the library and wanted to check out the stacks on campus. The library in Port Angeles was more of a social hour than quiet study time. I saw the first level of this library was similar; a place to see and be seen. I got myself situated on the second floor and started to write a paper for my Glory that Was Greece class. Dr. Spann wanted a five page paper comparing and contrasting the culture of the Spartans versus the Athenians.

I was in the middle of comparing the Spartan _Agoge_ training system of young boys to the Athenian education system when a beautiful voice said, "Bella, how nice to see you."

I looked up in surprise. "Hi, Tanya,"

I looked behind her to see if Edward was nearby.

"If you are looking for Edward, he's not here."

She pulled up a chair so we were eye to eye. "I thought it was time for you and I to have a chat."

I raised my eyebrows in some surprise. "I don't know what we could possibly have to talk about."

"Really? I think you know exactly what or should I say who we should be talking about."

I waited to see where she was going with this.

"Edward and I have made a life together here and I don't want you to get any ideas about my mate."

I paled, so Edward had found his mate. Color quickly filled my cheeks, "Look Tanya I don't think this is necessary."

"Well, I just want to be very clear that Alice may want to bring you back into the fold but Edward is taken. I have been the one by his side for the last two years and I will be by his side for the next two hundred. I don't need some pathetic, love-struck human making puppy-dog eyes at him and playing on his sympathies."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes but I refused to give her the satisfaction that she her words had hurt me.

"Did you think you could hold on to him? You are nothing! A mere blip on our timelines. He was intrigued when he couldn't read your mind but that was just a momentary distraction to him. You have neither the beauty nor the virtue to keep someone of his ilk entertained for more than a moment."

She was only saying what I knew. "Tanya, I think there is some misunderstanding. Edward was very clear on where he and I stood and I have no desire to change it."

"Really? Edward told me how clingy you were when you were together." She mimicked my voice, " _Edward, promise you won't leave me."_ She taunted.

I paled at her words. I was devastated that he told her that I had begged him to not leave me.

"Why would he stay with someone as insignificant as you? What do you have to offer him? You aren't beautiful. You are built like a boy. Do you even have any talents? You are ordinary. What do you have that could hold him for any length of time besides the silence of your mind?"

Each taunt was a direct hit.

"How much could he have really wanted you? I know you both never got past innocent petting. How much could he have desired you if it was so easy to resist you? Do you think he was able to stop himself when he was with me? Do you think he even thought of you when he was touching me?"

I could see them together in my mind and I wanted to throw up.

"Have you no pride? I know his family feels guilty for putting you in danger but you shouldn't play on their guilt so you can be near Edward. It's embarrassing to Edward."

Oh God, Oh God. It was my worst nightmare. He had discussed the intimate details of our relationship with Tanya. I imagined him telling her I tried to push a response out of him by letting him find me naked in my room one night and how he quickly covered me up with a blanket like a child and then left. They both must have laughed at my juvenile attempts at seduction. It really meant nothing to him. I meant nothing to him; just like I had meant nothing to Jake.

"Do everyone a kindness. Absolve them of their silly feelings of guilt and then stay away from them. The fact that you know of their existence puts them in danger," she said before disappearing.

It took everything I had to hold in the tears as I packed up my things. I kept my head down on the walk home but her words kept running through my head and tears kept escaping. Then I heard Edward and Jake in my head. _You're not good for me Bella. I'll remember you with fondness._ I was such a fool.

It took a couple of attempts to get the key in the front door of the apartment. I had to wipe the tears out of my eyes to see the lock.

 _Bella, I love you. I will never hurt you like he did. I want you. If I didn't imprint on you than it won't happen to me. I'm sorry, I imprinted. I love you but I'm not in love with you._

Not good enough. That is what it all came down to.

I texted Alice that I needed a raincheck. She called me immediately. She tried to change my mind but I could not go to their house and see Tanya and Edward together.

I had the black void nightmare that night. I woke up screaming in the middle of the night surprised that it hadn't actually swallowed me whole. I didn't know it startled someone in the apartment. At the sound of my scream, they disappeared through the sliding door of the balcony.

 **A/N** –Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Again, reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	19. Chapter 19 - Trespasser?

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens with Jacob

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tried to make it work with Jacob but fate had a different plan. Now Bella is trying to start fresh at college. Again fate intervenes and Bella bumps into the last person she expected, Edward.

 **A/N** **1** – Thank you to those who took the time to write something or offer an idea. Thank you for adding the story to your alerts. I wanted to post this chapter with the prior chapter because they were both under 3k words which seems a lot when you are looking at a word document but isn't really that big when you read it on fanfiction. I noticed that people miss chapters if I post two together. Fanfiction provides traffic stats and you can see how much traffic each chapter gets. Thanks for your patience.

 **Chapter 19 – Trespasser?**

I felt hungover the next morning. I had to pull myself out of bed to get to class on time. I went into the kitchen to make some coffee. I took the hot coffee cup to the sliding glass door and I tried to unlock the handle without spilling any of the coffee. To my surprise, the door was already unlocked. Crap. I tried to remember if I locked it yesterday. I shrugged. Maybe we forgot to lock the door in the rush to pack for Forks and to get to class.

I wasn't too concerned. Charlie made sure he found us a good apartment. It took a few days for a us to the find it at the beginning of the semester. He vetoed place after place that Leah loved, _"…but look at the hardwood floors!"_ Charlie had given her a withering look which clearly indicated that fashion would be sacrificed in favor of security. He had shepherded us to the next apartment which he quickly vetoed by saying, _"No ground floor units."_ He had insisted on a security system that could be monitored. He had learned his lesson with Jake and had said absolutely no climbable trees too close to any windows or balconies.

I sat down on the balcony and felt like death warmed over. Tanya's words from yesterday still rang in my head. He was mated. He was truly out of reach. My chest tightened. I hadn't realized I held out any hope. I cringed in embarrassment. How could I face Edward in class today? I seriously thought of skipping the class and hiding in the apartment.

 _No! I will not fall into that hole again. I'm stronger than that._

I finished my coffee, locked the sliding glace door, got dressed and started off to campus.

My phone rang. "Are we still on today?" Kyle said.

Normal. I really needed normal. His voice was a welcome distraction.

"Absolutely. I have two classes but I should be done with my last one a little before one."

"Great. Where is your last class?"

I told him the building and he said, "The frat house isn't too far from there. Why don't I meet you in the quad near that building?"

I agreed and we rang off.

The Cullens weren't in my first class. It was uneventful but gave me time to get emotionally ready for the next class. Did Tanya tell Edward about our meeting? Did he ask her to talk to me? Did he sense I was still drawn to him despite my best efforts to come to terms with the fact that he found his mate.

I cut it as close as I could so I wouldn't have to talk to them before class. I couldn't make eye contact with Edward when I took my assigned seat.

I felt a breeze by my arm and a note appeared. It was from Alice. _I know you came as late as possible to avoid talking. I'm giving you a pass on it this time but we ARE going to talk._

I wrote her back. _I was just running late._

She wrote again. _Carlisle said that Sue had a goodnight and they will probably let her go home today if she promises to stay in bed for the next few days_. _He said you can call him if you have any questions._

I nodded. _Tell him thanks. That is very kind of him._

I tried to pay attention to the rest of the lecture. It helped that we broke into groups that the professor assigned and I wasn't with the Cullens. In fact they each ended up in a separate group and it was amusing as I watched the star struck attitude of their fellow group members. One co-ed was practically plastered to Jasper's side. I guessed at one point, Alice had enough and walked over to the girl, whispered something in her ear and skipped back to her group. The girl went white and kept at least three other group members between her and Jasper the rest of class.

When the class was over I couldn't help but ask, "What did you say to that girl? She looked like she almost peed her pants in fright."

"Let's just say that sometimes I don't feel like being a vegetarian vampire."

For a moment I forgot Tanya and my embarrassment and just remembered how nice it was to be around Alice. We both started to giggle. It felt good to laugh.

Edward walked over to us, "What are you two giggling about?"

His closeness made me hesitate for a moment. Then I reminded myself that I was stronger than I gave myself credit. _Act normal, Bella._

"Alice was just telling me she's in the mood for a snack."

We laughed again and walked out of the building into another overcast day. This place really was one step down from Forks.

Alice must have let him see what we were talking about. They had that silent conversation look. Edward smiled and for a second my heart skipped a beat. _Stop it Bella, you will not let him dazzle you again. He has a mate._

"I'm really glad Sue is doing better Bella."

"Thank you Edward."

He looked at me intently, "Bella, could we go somewhere to talk?"

A voice called my name across the quad and saved me from having to answer him. It was Kyle.

I waived him over. He looked even better than I remembered.

I turned to Edward but avoided direct eye contact, "I'm sorry. I'm meeting a friend for a coffee."

Kyle jogged over and smiled at the rest of the group.

Edward looked at Kyle and then back at me, "Of course. I'm sorry I bothered you."

Oblivious to any tension, Kyle asked, "Ready?"

"Yes." No one moved so I felt compelled to say, "Kyle, I'd like you to meet some friends of mine from my hometown. This is Alice, her brother Edward and her significant other, Jasper." I realized I didn't know if they were posing as boyfriend and girlfriend or if they were living as a married couple.

Alice smiled at Kyle in welcome. Jasper and Edward, not so much.

"Well, we'll see you later," I said somewhat awkwardly but again no one moved.

"Would you like to join us?" Kyle asked.

"They don't drink coffee," I said quickly.

I waved goodbye to Alice and pulled Kyle forward.

"Mormans?" He quietly asked when we had walked a few paces away.

I almost tripped trying not to laugh.

"Something like that. So, Starbucks or campus kiosk?"

"Definitely Starbucks."

We spent a nice hour getting to know each other. He came from a small town in North Dakota so we swapped stories of small time life and the speed of the gossip mill. He was really nice, certainly cute and I had a good time. We made plans to meet up again later in the week before parting ways.

XXXXX

I let myself in the apartment when the phone rang. "Hey, Leah. How's everyone?"

"Good. Mom is doing great. They discharged her this afternoon and she is on bed rest for the next two days at home. I'm going to help out until she is allowed to get up. Are you alright by yourself for the next two days?"

"Yeah. No problem. Are you sure I shouldn't come home?"

"Absolutely not. Even Charlie said to stay put. We have it covered. It can be your turn when someone has to help Mom with late night feedings."

"I thought we agreed to stick Seth with those!" We both laughed. "Fair enough, I'll do any late night feedings and will drive the kid in circles when it won't go to sleep. You, however, can have all the dirty diaper duties."

Leah laughed and said, "I thought we offered Seth as tribute for that!"

"May the odds be ever in his favor." We laughed. I looked around the apartment, "I have to tell you it is awfully quiet without you here."

"Wasn't today your Mr. Right Now coffee date?"

"Yeah. We had a nice time. We talked about getting together this weekend. He said you should be hearing from Luke before then. Evidently he hasn't stopped bragging about you to his frat brothers. Something about mile long legs."

She laughed, "When you got it, flaunt it."

We caught up with some of the Forks gossip. I noticed she didn't mention anything about Jake and I was grateful.

I spent the rest of the night studying. The next morning I couldn't find my chiefs bowling shirt. It was in my drawer the other day. I know Leah didn't borrow it because she hated that shirt. As a general rule Leah didn't borrow my clothes. She was as critical of my fashion sense as Alice. I found another shirt and finished dressing.

I took my coffee cup to the sliding door. I didn't have any classes today and I wanted to enjoy the free morning with a nice cup of coffee and what little sun was pushing through the ever present cloud cover. It was open again.

That wasn't possible. I know I locked it yesterday when I left for class.

I was concerned but I didn't know who to call.

The police didn't seem appropriate. There was no sign of a break in. Nothing of any value looked missing. I could imagine the laughter I would get if they asked if anything looked missing and I said, _Why yes, Officer, I can't find my Chief's bowling shirt._

I had a hard time believing I left this door unlocked twice. We were on the edge of campus. As the daughter of a cop, I knew to always keep doors and windows locked. Break-ins and rapes were always a risk on a campus this size.

I needed to go to a hardware store.

I was in the middle of looking up the closest hardware store when someone knocked at the front door. It was Alice.

"Bella are you ok?"

"Alice, how…?"

"I saw something," she said as she came into the living room. "I think you are right about the wolf thing. Ever since Leah left town I started to see you clearer. I saw you upset and calling the police and I came right over."

"I'm sorry, Alice. I thought of calling the police but I changed my mind. I think I was just over reacting to an unlocked door." I pointed to the slider, "This is the second morning in a row that the sliding glass door has been unlocked when I could have sworn I locked it. Maybe Leah left it unlocked when she left for Forks the first time I found it unlocked but I could have sworn I locked it yesterday." I felt paranoid and ridiculous, "I don't know, maybe I unlocked it when I came home last night and forgot."

Alice took a look around. She walked to the sliding glass door. The apartment was on the fourth floor and there was no easy access to the balcony from the road and the building next door. The balconies alternated like a checkerboard so it would be difficult for someone to jump from one balcony to the next.

"I just need to go to a hardware store and buy one of those bars for the door."

Alice scanned the apartment again and took a deep breath, "Bella, I don't think you are over reacting. There is another scent in here since I was here. I think you are right. I think someone has been in your apartment."

"It could have been the building's maintenance man," I said as I tried not to over react. "I'll call the office and find out if they sent anyone into the unit yesterday."

"You are alone again tonight aren't you?"

"Yes. Leah doesn't get back until tomorrow."

"Well, just to be safe, let me get Jasper to install that bar you want for the sliding door and why don't you hang out at our house. You can call the complex management office on the way to our place. Carlisle and Esme are dying to see you. They feel terrible about everything and they want to apologize in person. If you don't want to stay the night with us until Leah is back, Jasper and I can come back here and stay with you."

"I don't know Alice. I'm not sure that is a good idea."

"Please," she pleaded. "You don't know how upset Esme has been. And wouldn't you like to see Emmett? The big goof ball is chomping at the bit to see you."

I didn't want to see Tanya and Edward together. I didn't want to see them as a couple, make that mates, in their own home.

"Please Bella. You backed out the other night and everyone was really upset that they missed the opportunity to see you."

I really didn't like the way the apartment felt. Something was off.

I finally gave in. "Fine, I'll come back to your place."

 **A/N** –Thank you to those that have set up this story to follow or as a favorite. I really appreciate the interest. Again, reviews are highly motivating and I would appreciate any feedback you might have on the story or the writing. Please tell me what you think.


	20. Chapter 20 - Apologies

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens if Bella tried to make it work with Jake after Edward leaves in New Moon.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward leaves Bella but doesn't think Bella died in the cliff diving incident, doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tries to make a relationship with Jake work but fate intervenes. Bella starts over by moving to Oregon and going to school. Fate intervenes again and she runs into Edward again. Can they make it work now that she is older, a bit more broken and disillusioned?

 **A/N** 1 – Sorry for the delay. Real life interferes and I'm at one of my busiest times at work. Thank you to those who reviewed the story since the last post. Your kind words made we want to get back to the story as quickly as possible. Never underestimate the power of a positive review to motivate someone to write the next chapter. Thank you to Alice Doubtfire for reviewing my chapters before they post and giving me some great feedback. Thank you to the ladies at the Cheatward spot for mentioning my story. My traffic stats went crazy after that and I picked up some story followers and a few new reviews which made my day. Thank you to JustSu for your kind words. I really appreciated it. It's great to hear your comments on the story or any feedback on the quality of the writing.

 **Chapter 20 - Apologies**

The Cullen's house was really more a compound then just a house. Much like their place in Forks, it was on the outskirts of town at the start of a preserve that led to easy access to the state park system. The main house was amazing. It was a two story mansion that looked like a renovated medieval chateau. The house made a right angle with a turret in the center. There were smaller scale cottages off the back of the house which could be seen as we drove down the winding driveway. They looked a bit like a mini medieval village.

One side of the main building was a multi-car garage and the other side was living space. The view to the mountains was spectacular. I always forgot just how wealthy they were individually and as a unit.

"How big is this place?" I asked as we parked in the semi-circle driveway.

"It's about forty-two acres. Esme saw it when we moved here and wanted it because it was a real fixer upper. She just renovated the last of the upstairs bedrooms in the main house last month."

Esme, Carlisle, Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Edward came out of the house before we were even out of the car. Esme was the first to move towards me. I knew tears would have welled up in her eyes if it hadn't been a physical impossibility. I realized how much I missed her motherly presence in my life. So, I cried the tears that she couldn't.

"Bella, sweet Bella, we are so sorry." She hugged me and I felt safe and loved immediately. I felt more cold arms surround me as Carlisle came over. Again there were murmurs of apologies. "Sweetheart, we didn't know! We have missed you so much." Esme pulled back and looked into my eyes. She saw my tears and immediately pulled me back into her arms and rocked me like a child.

"Enough of this," a loud voice boomed out. "It's time to pass the human. My turn!"

Emmett grabbed me from Esme, picked me and spun me around until I was laughing. That was his gift. He could lighten a room with his goofiness. He was the big brother I never had but secretly wished for. He put me back down and shook his head. "Bella Swan, always finding things that will kill you. What are we going to do with you?"

Rosalie greeted me much more warmly then I would have expected based on our relationship in Forks. "Bella, it's good to see you." I nodded shyly in return. She had always intimidated me.

Jasper walked up to me and I thought he was going to hug me but he abruptly stopped. I saw hesitation and remorse in his face as he took a step back.

I felt bad that he harbored any guilt about my break up with Edward. It wasn't his fault. In the end, it was Edward's decision to break up with me.

"Hello Jasper."I tried to project nothing but warm feelings toward him and he looked at me in surprise and then gratitude. Alice smiled as Jasper tentatively took me in his arms and hugged me.

"Bella, I'm so sorry," he whispered in my ear.

"It's ok, Jasper. I never blamed you," I pushed back from his embrace to look him in the eye and said, "We're good." He smiled and let me go.

That left Edward. He had hung back as the rest of the family greeted me. He looked pensive. It was something I remembered about him from when we first met; a part of the group but always separate. He was abnormally still as only one of his kind can be.

"Hello, Bella," he said in that formal way that fit him perfectly. "I'm pleased you accepted Alice's invitation to come out here."

I nodded, not sure what to say. I looked around but didn't see Tanya. However, I didn't want to seem like I was overstepping any boundaries by being here. I didn't want him to think I was trying to chase him.

Esme broke the uncomfortable silence, "Bella, please come in. Are you thirsty? Hungry? Can I make you anything?" Esme asked ever the gracious hostess.

Alice spoke to Jasper and handed him my apartment keys. He spoke to Emmett and they both took off in Alice's car. Alice put her arm through mine and pulled me towards the door to the grand house. "The guys are going to take care of the bar for the sliding door. I have an errand and then I'm going to meet them back at your place so we can check around the apartment complex to see if we can detect the same scent that was in the apartment."

I had called the management office in the car but they denied granting any of the maintenance men access to the unit. "We'll see if the scent is outside and if it leads anywhere. I'd also like to check out the maintenance man. You never know. He may be one of those pervs that let's himself into tenant's apartments and goes through their underwear drawer. I also just want to check around the place for any surveillance equipment. There are some really crazy people out there these days and this is the internet age."

Ok, now I was really creeped out. None of that even occurred to me. "Thanks, I really appreciate it."

"Of course, Bella, it's what family does." She looked me in the eyes and said very firmly, "And we are family. We may not have acted like it for a moment but that is not going to happen again." Alice pushed me towards Esme and waived as she went to the garage and climbed into one of the luxury cars.

Esme put her arm around my shoulder and led me into the house. We walked past a formal living room, a formal dining room that could easily sit twelve and then to the back of the house into the family room which shared an open floor plan with the kitchen. The back wall of the family room was virtually all sliding glass doors that opened to the lanai, a pool, Jacuzzi and fire pit. Wow.

There were four cabana houses in the distance behind the pool area nicely spaced apart. They were a modern take on medieval French architecture. They were deceptive. They looked small but really were each about the size of Charlie's house in Forks. The main house was big enough to balance out the cabana houses without making them look like a sub-development was on top of the house.

I turned back to say something to Esme and noticed that Edward was stood in the family room with him hands in his pockets as he stared at me. I blushed and looked away a little uncomfortable with the intensity of his stare.

I scanned the kitchen and the family room. Where the living room and the dining room were ornate and all custom woodwork on the walls and the high ceilings, the family room and the kitchen were informal and airy. Comfortable furniture was scattered around so all had a good view of the big screen television. I saw the obligatory game controllers on the coffee table and the end tables. Some things never changed.

Edward was still starting at me. I looked at Esme and broke the silence, "Your home is beautiful, Esme."

"Thank you, dear. You know me. I love a project." Major understatement. "This place was falling into disrepair so it gave me something to do while the kids were in school." Sure, some wives scrapbooked, Esme did major construction. "Would you like a tour while Alice and the boys are out?"

"That would be great."

"Edward why don't you show Bella around while I make her something for lunch?"

Edward agreed before I could protest. "Of course, Esme, it would be my pleasure,"

Edward motioned toward the formal dining room. I gave in and walked ahead of him. He then came up beside me and said, "Let's start upstairs." We took the circular stair case to the second level. I rubbed the wood of the railing and Edward said, "It's beautiful isn't it? Esme rescued this staircase from a French chateau in the Loire Valley. She had Carlisle take one of his rare breaks from the hospital and go to France with her while she looked for authentic pieces to use in the remodel."

I nodded impressed. He led me through five bedrooms and a master suite. All the rooms looked like something out of an interior design magazine, however, only the master suite looked lived in. He stopped at a sitting room with a beautiful view of a the back yard and a lake in the distance.

"Esme was not exactly subtle?"

"She means well."

I didn't know how to act around him after what Tanya said.

He took my hand and I felt a tingle as he led me to a chair in the corner of the room. He squatted down in front of me and said. "I think you know everyone wants to talk to you and apologize. Esme is giving me this opportunity alone with you so I can explain what I did and why I did it so their actions make sense."

"You don't have to do that," I started to protest. What was the point? He had found his mate.

He gently covered my lips with the tips of his fingers to stop what I was saying. "Bella, please don't." I could feel his touch throughout my body. While his fingers were cold against my lips, they had the opposite effect on the rest of my body. I felt my cheeks grow warm in response. Like a recovering addict I soaked in his smell and his closeness like a fix.

What was wrong with me? Tanya was right, I was pathetic.

He moved his fingers from my lips and I wanted to cry out at the loss of physical contact but then he cupped my cheek as if to absorb the warmth of my blush. "I owe you an apology. No, of course I owe you much more than that." He stopped as if he struggled to find the words. "Bella, you have to know that I had no idea? I didn't realize the mess I was leaving behind. I thought it was safe for you in Forks."

If only he really knew.

"I had no idea that Victoria would come back,' he continued. "I'll admit that when I saw her that one time I was more focused on James than on her or Laurent. I didn't see the depth of the bond she had with James. Even if I had, I would have expected any thoughts of revenge would have been focused on us – never you. Not that there's any excuse for what I left you to face."

I didn't know what to say so I kept quiet.

"I'm sorry you had to rely on werewolves. Not just werewolves but immature, volatile werewolves."

I started to protest, "Edward, they were young but they were good to me. I finally felt safe again with them."

He looked upset at that statement but he continued.

"What I said to you that day in Forks was all a lie."

What? I didn't understand. His words didn't make sense.

"I only left you in the first place because I wanted you to have a chance at a normal, happy human life. I could see what I was doing to you – keeping you constantly on the edge of danger, taking you away from the world you belonged in, risking your life every moment I was with you. So I had to try to fix that. I had to do something, and it seemed like leaving was the only way."

That made me angry. There were a lot of "I's in that sentence. "Did it ever occur to you as you were making these decisions for me to talk to me about your concerns? Your feelings? Did you ever think to ask me what I wanted?"

He looked ashamed. "Bella, you were so young. How could you really know what you were risking or sacrificing to be with me?"

"How did you think your leaving would affect me?"

"I thought a clean break was the best way to give you the ability to get over it quickly."

I snorted. I knew it wasn't lady like but I couldn't believe what he was saying. Should I have told him that I was virtually catatonic for days after he left? Should I have told him that Charlie thought of hospitalizing me?

What did it matter? He had moved on with Tanya.

"I told my family that you broke up with me because I knew that was the only way _they_ would leave you. From the first time you had met them you made a place for yourself in their hearts."

What about his?

"You were always incredibly generous with us. You guessed what we are but you never feared us. You never judged us. Where we saw monsters you just saw a family. Can you imagine how powerful that level acceptance was to them? To me?"

Edward looked down for a moment.

"Bella, when I told them you wanted a chance at a normal life, they could understand that. All of their lives were interrupted. None of them asked for this existence but they have each tried to make the best of it. They have tried to give back more to the world then what they have taken from it. It was easy for them to believe that you were put in danger one too many times by getting too close to creatures that should only exist in myths."

"I've never lied to them before I told them you broke up with me. Jasper could sense the pain I was in when I came back after we spoke in the woods. So they believed me. I've never asked them for anything before. They fought me at first. They urged me to try to talk to you and work things out. Alice begged for the opportunity to at least say goodbye. I told them I tried talking to you and that you were adamant. I told them whatever I thought it would take to stop their protests. Finally, they believed me and thought they were complying with your wishes when they agreed to leave."

He stood up and looked outside the window gathering his thoughts and then turned back to me, "I know what I did was unforgivable. I left you in danger. You probably will never be able to trust me again. But please believe that my family have always loved you and would do anything for you. Don't cut them out of your life because of me."

"Edward, I don't know what to say."

"Everyone is anxious to talk to you and apologize."

"That's not necessary."

"It is. Please be gracious one more time to my family and give them the opportunity to apologize. They want you to be part of their lives in whatever capacity you are willing to agree to."

What about Edward? Now that he had Tanya as a mate did he want me to be part of his and his families' lives?

Edward looked at the doorway and frowned. "It looks like the family is getting impatient." Before I could ask, Rosalie appeared in the doorway.

She dazzled us with a smile and said, "Alice and the guys are back from your apartment. Everyone's in the family room. Esme asked if you could both join us."

Edward looked like he wanted to protest the interruption but then looked resigned. "Tell Esme we'll be right there." Rosalie nodded and with a toss of her perfect blonde locks she glided out of the room.

Edward turned to me and said, "Bella, there is more that I wanted to say but if I don't let my family have their chance to speak with you they will just keep interrupting us. Once they're done will you take a walk with me and let me finish this conversation?"

"Edward it doesn't matter."

He ran his fingers through his bronze hair messing it up in his agitation, "Of course it does Bella. Please just give me a little more time after you have spoken to the family."

He was with Tanya now, so I didn't see the point. While I didn't think it would change anything maybe letting him finish would give me closure. I shrugged and nodded.

Edward escorted me back to the kitchen. Esme had set a place for me at the granite counter for lunch. I was overwhelmed by everything Edward had told me so far and had no appetite. "Esme, would you mind if I had the sandwich later, I'm not really hungry right now."

She looked at Edward and then looked at me, "Of course, sweetheart, I'll just wrap it up and you can have it later."

I smiled at her in gratitude for her understanding. Edward led me into the family room and sat me down on one of the easy chairs. Alice, Jasper and Emmett were already in the family room. Still no Tanya.

As before, each couple seemed to have an assigned area. Carlisle walked into the kitchen and he and Esme took a seat next to each other on one of the love seats. Carlisle, ever the patriarch of the family started the conversation.

"Bella, we wanted to apologize for leaving you the way we did." There were a couple of accusatory looks sent Edward's way. "You didn't deserve what must have felt like abandonment to you."

Alice glared at Edward again.

It was true. I had felt abandoned at the time. It had resurrected some of the hurt and confused feelings I had when Charlie suddenly disappeared from my life as a toddler. I didn't know what I did wrong to make him leave me. I'm know a part of me had wondered what was wrong with me when the Cullens had left.

 _'Not good enough',_ echoed in my head.

I sat up straighter in the chair. I would listen to what they had to say and then wean myself away from them again. It didn't make sense to get too comfortable with this family again. I wouldn't put myself through the torture of watching Tanya and Edward as a couple.

Jasper noticed my mood shift immediately and raised his eyebrows at me. I looked away in embarrassment.

"I think Edward has explained what he told us." I nodded at Carlisle. "We should have questioned what he told us. More importantly, we should have spoken directly to you before just making such a momentous decision."

Emmett took over, serious for once, "We were foolish but we hope you can understand why we believed Edward. This is a difficult existence. It is bearable because of the people we share it with. But ultimately we could understand you wanting a normal life. Away from the danger we seemed to attract to your life."

I snorted again and covered my mouth and nose in embarrassment. That got a chuckle from the room.

Carlisle looked at me ruefully. "Yes, we heard that our leaving didn't keep you out of danger. If you wouldn't mind, would you tell us what happened when we left? How did Victoria come back into your life?"

Everyone nodded.

I wasn't sure how much to tell them or where to start. I settled on an abbreviated version of the events. "About six month after you left I was . . . hiking in the woods by myself."

"Oh, Bella," Esme exclaimed. "You know better than to hike alone. That is so dangerous. What if you had run into a wild animal?"

I smiled ironically. "I ran into Laurent, Esme."

"I thought he was with Irina?" Rosalie said to Carlisle.

"He was," I confirmed. "While he was taunting me, he even admitted she introduced him to your lifestyle. But I guess it didn't quite take." They looked at me in confusion. "He joked he wasn't quite a strict vegetarian. He implied he would periodically leave and hunt humans to supplement his vegetarian diet."

"Poor, Irina. Here she's been pining away for an illusion. Wait until Tanya hears this."

I paused at the sound of Tanya's name.

Jasper's voice urged me to continue, "What happened next?"

"Laurent said that Victoria asked him to check if your family was still in Forks. He told Irina he was going hunting and he used the opportunity to feed on some humans and go by your old house. After a couple of trips he noticed that lack of activity and that your scent had faded. He figured out that you had left town."

"Why would Victoria send him?" Esme questioned.

I shrugged, "I guess he either found her or she found him after the incident with James. Maybe there was more loyalty than anyone expected. She wanted him to find out if you were still protecting me. She wanted revenge for James; a mate for a mate were her words."

Edward looked sick.

Misunderstanding his look I said, "I didn't correct him. I didn't tell him that I wasn't anyone's mate," I said with some embarrassment. Alice looked like she was going to protest but I continued, "I thought he might let me go if he thought you still visited and checked up on me."

They looked uncomfortable at my words.

"Edward, you always said I wasn't a very good liar. Well, Laurent agreed with you because he didn't believe me. That's when he decided he would kill me." Edward got up abruptly and stood near the fire place mantle one hand on the ornate wood. I looked at him questioningly but then continued, "He even said it was better that way because at least he would kill me quickly whereas Victoria planned to kill me slowly and painfully." The sound of wood crumbling made me look back at Edward.

Esme looked like she was going to berate him but Carlisle just shook his head, "Go on, Bella, please continue."

"Before Laurent could make good on his offer, a pack of horse-sized wolves ran into the clearing. One of the giant wolves ran at Laurent and he flung me aside before he swatted the wolf away. At first I just laid on the ground in shock. The other wolves organized themselves and attacked Laurent in tandem. Laurent turned and ran which gave me time to run away as the wolves gave chase."

"Charlie thought I was insane when I ran into the house ranting about giant wolves. You see, a few weeks earlier some hikers went missing but one made it back and said something about seeing over sized bears. Charlie put together a hunting party with some of the Quileutes but of course he didn't find anything."

"How did you figure out that the wolves were actually some of the Quileute tribe?" Jasper asked.

"I had been hanging out with Billy Black's son, Jake, after you left." Again the sound of wood crushing. "Jake invited me to a few of the bonfire and tribal events where one of the elders would recall some of the Quileute legends. I realized that like you, the legends about the wolves were more fact than fiction and confronted Jake. I wouldn't let them put me off and they finally admitted I was right. Jake told me that they had caught Laurent and tore him up and burned the pieces."

"They thought that was the end of it until Victoria showed up," I continued. "I was spending a lot of time at La Push and I overheard one of the guys in the pack complaining about a "red-headed blood sucker". They couldn't understand why she kept coming through their land. I realized they were talking about Victoria and that I was the reason she kept coming back. When I told them I was the target they protected me."

"What happened to Victoria?"

I looked over at Emmett, "As I told Alice, she played cat and mouse with the pack for the next two years. Just when they thought she lost interest she would show up again."

"That must have been torture for you, Bella," Rosalie said. "Two years of looking over your shoulder."

I smiled her in gratitude in understanding the strain that I had experienced during that time. "It was tough. I felt bad because I felt like it was my fault that the pack was in danger. There was also some resentment because as long as she kept coming back more of the boys with the gene phased. Their lives were altered irrevocably because of me."

"Bella, you can't blame yourself for that," Esme protested. "You didn't ask to be in that situation. I'm sure they understood. If anyone should feel guilty it us. We should have been there to protect you."

The others nodded in agreement. Edward looked like he was on fire.

"We are so sorry we left you unprotected, Bella," Esme said again.

"Edward and I spoke." Everyone looked at Edward. "I understand and I don't hold it against you."

Esme and Carlisle looked back at me in gratitude.

"How did they finally catch her?" Emmett asked.

I paused for a second. The pain of this memory was still just under the surface. I tried to keep the tears from welling up in my eyes. "Victoria showed up at one of their celebrations. She tried to attack a child." The others gasped. I continued, "Two of the wolves caught Victoria and killed her."

"The child was ok?" Esme concerned voice asked the question on everyone's mind.

"Yes, the child was frightened but fine."

"Thank God," Rosalie exclaimed. "The idea that Victoria would hurt a child makes want to bring her back, tear her to pieces with my bare hands and light the match on her corrupt remains."

The others nodded in agreement.

"I don't understand why Alice didn't see this before it happened?" Emmett said stroking Rosalie's arm to calm her down.

Carlisle turned to Emmett, "Alice and I spoke about this and we think that the wolves have some type of defensive mechanism that blocks Alice's ability to see their choices and by association their future. Bella mentioned that she had been spending a lot time at La Push."

Alice confirmed, "As soon as Bella started to spend time with the guys from the pack I stopped getting any visions of her." She turned to Edward, "I know you said not to look for her, but I was scared when I got this void. I finally called Bella's house posing as Jessica. Charlie answered and told me she was at a friend's house. I called a couple of other times I got the void and Charlie either said she was out or I got Bella."

I looked at her in surprise, "But I never spoke to you and at that time Jessica did not call my house."

She looked sad, "I know. I was a coward. I should have ignored Edward and spoken to you but I just hung up."

I was secretly happy that she didn't just forget me. I got up and she stood. I hugged her, "Well, I appreciate that you at least checked up on me."

"Too little, too late," she whispered in my ear as she hugged me back gently. "Can you forgive us?"

"I already have."

That must have signaled a group hug because the next thing I knew there were all these cold arms around me.

"Can't breathe,"

There were a bunch of giggles and we broke apart.

The discussion took an emotional toll.

"Enough about the past," I said with finality. Everyone went back to their respective seats. "What did you find out about the apartment?"

Jasper was the first to speak, "Someone was definitely in the apartment. We put the bar on the sliding door but I'm concerned because they got past your security system."

"I changed your locks, upgraded the security pad so you can input a more complex security code, and installed motion sensors and window sensors." Emmett added.

"I can't thank you enough. I didn't know you even knew how to do that."

Rosalie laughed, "Emmett went through a criminal phase." The rest of the Cullens nodded their head and smiled at the memory. "He had seen the Carey Grant movie, To Catch a Thief, and for months he played a combination of cat burglar and Robinhood."

"What do you mean?"

"We were living in New York City in the 80's when all the Wall Street bandits were screwing over the little guy. Emmett decided to practice his cat burglar skills by robbing the Wall Street crooks and donating his ill-gotten gains to charities around the city. There were some articles in the paper about him," Rosalie said with pride. "They couldn't understand how he could get onto their high rise balconies."

Everyone laughed.

"Well thank you for the upgrade."

Emmett just smiled at me.

"Bella, will you stay here until Leah comes back?" Esme asked. "I'll worry if you are in the apartment alone."

"I don't' think that is a good idea," I said. The thought of having to watch Edward and Tanya go to their cottage house together made me feel sick.

Esme looked disappointed. Alice stepped in and said, "Jasper and I can stay with Bella until Leah comes back." Edward looked like he wanted to protest but Jasper gave him a look and he stayed silent.

It was the lesser of all evils and I could avoid Tanya. "That would be great Alice."

"Don't forget we need to finish our conversation, Bella," Edward said.

Before I could answer Alice trilled, "We've got company!"


	21. Chapter 21 - Company Comes Calling

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens if Bella tried to make it work with Jake after Edward leaves in New Moon.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward leaves Bella but doesn't think Bella died in the cliff diving incident, doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tries to make a relationship with Jake work but fate intervenes. Bella starts over by moving to Oregon and going to school. Fate intervenes again and she runs into Edward again. Can they make it work now that she is older, a bit more broken and disillusioned?

 **A/N** 1 – To those of you who sent me PM's asking for the next chapter – thanking you for caring enough to send me messages to get me moving on an update. I'm sorry for the delay, work issues have prevented me from writing. I really appreciate those that have stuck with the story and I promise I have every intention of finishing this story. For the new reviews that came in since the last post, thanks for taking the time to comment on the story. As everyone says, it is very motivating to receive a review.

 **Chapter 21 – Company comes calling**

Everyone looked at Alice or Edward. Edward concentrated and said with some surprise, "It's Tanya, and it appears she's brought company with her."

My stomach dropped at the thought of seeing Tanya again. Edward looked agitated. "Perhaps I should take Bella home?"

Alice was silent a moment and said, "It's fine, Edward. I don't see any problems if Bella stays."

Edward looked like he wanted to argue, but Tanya's voice rang out from the front of the house and a few seconds later she appeared with a beautiful woman with pale blond straight hair. She might be a blond, but her features were more Slavic than Scandinavian. Like Tanya she exuded sexuality. The only thing average about her was her height.

She was accompanied by a striking man around Edward's height and build. If it weren't for the brown hair, they might be mistaken for each other from behind. He had movie star looks so common of their kind.

Edward saw the visitor's dark burgundy eyes and hissed. He grabbed me and pulled me behind him. Jasper took a position beside Edward.

Tanya held up her hand and said, "It's all right, Edward. He's no threat to your little human."

I bristled at her condescending tone. What I wouldn't give to be able to slap her and not break a hand.

Kate seemed surprised that the Cullens were entertaining a human, "I'm so sorry, Carlisle. Tanya didn't warn us that you might have company."

Tanya didn't look pleased to see me, "I didn't know. Don't worry, dear sister. The human knows our secret."

Kate looked uncomfortable but she turned to Edward and assured him. "This is Callum. He's relatively new to our lifestyle and his eyes haven't completely adjusted yet. I assure you that she is quite safe in his company. He won't hurt her. "

Carlisle stepped forward, "Kate, it's lovely to see you." He embraced her warmly and then turned to the stranger. "Callum, welcome to our home."

"I hope you don't mind us just dropping in unannounced. I wanted to surprise Tanya with a visit and introduce Callum to everyone."

Esme graciously replied, "Kate, you are welcome any time. We're so happy to see you and meet your new friend."

"Did you just arrive in Portland?"

"We took our time coming down and stopped at a few places along the way to readjust to city life. This is the first time we've strayed so far from the Denali house since Callum switched to our diet. I wanted to make sure he was ok before we hit a city the size of Portland."

Edward tensed at the hint that Callum might have had some slip-ups as Emmett liked to call them. Kate sensed his mood and quickly said, "He has been fine for months and had no issues as we made our way south."

Alice seemed to communicate something to Edward and he got less tense.

Carlisle tried to smooth things over, "Well, we know how challenging this lifestyle can be to new comers and if there is anything we can do to help we will."

Carlisle introduced each of the family members to Callum.

Tanya interrupted Carlisle as he got to Bella and said condescendingly, "And this is Edward's little friend from Forks."

I grimaced at her tone but gave Callum a small smile in greeting. I could feel the tension emanating from Edward as Callum looked me over.

"I have to admit I'm a bit shocked to see you socializing with a human so freely. Isn't that dangerous?" Callum looked at Carlisle with what seemed genuine concern.

"Bella is an old family friend," Carlisle said as he smiled at me warmly. He turned back to Callum. "She stumbled on to our secret when we lived in Forks. As you can see it is many years later and she has kept our secret. In fact, we consider her family."

I was surprised at Carlisle's words and secretly pleased. Even if I didn't have Edward, it felt good to know that Carlisle and Esme cared. I made a mental note to ask Alice about what Callum meant by dangerous. First Tanya had said it and now Callum. I couldn't see how I was a danger to any of them.

"Please won't you come into the family room and sit down?" Carlisle invited. The Cullens cautiously returned to the seating arrangements they previously held. I was not shocked when Tanya sat on the arm of the couch next to Edward as she obviously staked her claim.

Esme frowned at Tanya but then turned to where Kate and Callum were seated. "So, Kate, how did you and Callum meet?"

I could see by the way that Kate looked at Callum that she had strong feelings for the beautiful young man. They stared at one another for a moment and then Callum started the story. "I was traveling through Alaska about six months ago. I had heard about your alternative lifestyle from some nomads passing through that warned me of some locations to avoid hunting. They said that it was the territory of a stationary coven. I couldn't believe a coven could be stay in one place for any length of time without drawing the attention of the local authorities. That is when they explained that you hunted animals instead of humans. I could tell that the idea of hunting animals for sustenance disgusted the nomads. I knew I had to learn more because the thought of settling into one place after all these years of wandering was really appealing. So, I tried to get as much information out of the nomads as I could to look for the coven. It took some time, but I finally stumbled across a scent of another vampire in the area they had warned me about. I took a chance that it would lead to the coven, or at least more information on where I could find it." He paused for a moment looking back into Kate's eyes and smiled, "It led me to Kate."

"We ran in to each other near Talkeetna when I was hunting." Kate squeezed Callum's hand. "At first I thought I was going to have to fight a rogue vampire. Imagine my surprise when he said ' _Finally, I've been looking everywhere for you'."_

Callum laughed. "Imagine my surprise when I took one look at this beautiful creature and realized that my words meant more than I found the person that could teach me another way of life."

It looked like Kate would have blushed if she could. This individual was nothing like the experienced seductress that Edward told stories about when he told me the origin of the succubus myths.

"Would it be too personal to ask what made you interested in trying this alternative diet?"

"Not at all, Carlisle. I think it had something to do with how I was changed. I'm relatively young by this room's standards based on what Kate has said. I was attending a university when I was attacked one night near campus. I don't know who my sire was."

"I can't believe one of our kind would take such a risk; make a vampire and not take responsibility for it."

"When I woke up, I was overwhelmed by all the heightened senses. I could suddenly see things like colors and textures I had never seen before. The cacophony of noise was deafening. Then someone must have come near to where I was and I was suddenly overcome by a burning thirst that felt unbearable. The sound of a heartbeat made me move. I was on the source of the rhythmic beating in seconds and I couldn't stop myself from attacking. After I satiated my thirst I was disgusted with what I had done. I never thought I was capable of hurting another human being but the hunger was overwhelming."

He paused for a second. He appeared to be collecting himself.

"I tried to avoid feeding as long as possible, but that just made the blood thirst worst." I could see Jasper nodding in agreement without realizing it. "I learned that if I didn't feed on a regular basis I had no control and the next feeding was more savage. One night, a vampire ran across me feeding. I guess I made a mess of the situation, and he showed me how to hide my tracks and took me under his wing. I finally learned what I was and how I was turned."

"Who was it?" Rosalie asked.

"He called himself Joseph. We weren't together long. He wasn't interested in forming a coven. He said he wanted to stay in the area for a while, because he was working on something and he didn't need the scrutiny of the Volturi that an uncontrollable newborn could bring. He explained who the Volturi were and the rules. He told me that there were others like us and how we typically interact. He didn't understand my guilt when I had to feed but he explained why I was more out of control if I delayed feeding too long. I admitted I thought of trying to kill myself and he just laughed. He explained how one of our kind can be destroyed. He told me I needed to overcome my guilt and tried to convince me to look at humans like humans look at their food source like cows."

"He trained me for a few months and then sent me on my way. I wasn't sure where to go or what to do. So I decided I would try to find the vampire that sired me. I don't know if I wanted answers as to why they changed me or if I I just wanted revenge."

"If you didn't see if it was a man or a woman how did you expect to find them?"

"I don't remember a lot from before my attack but I remember the smell of orange blossoms. I thought if I ran across them I would recognize their scent."

"I traveled around for years without any success. Then I had the great luck to run across the nomads in Alaska that told me about your way of life. A way of life that might make this existence bearable. The rest you know."

"He's done really well, Carlisle. He's handled interacting with humans these last few months with a lot more ease."

"So Callum, did you find what you are looking for?"

Callum smiled at Kate again. "It is difficult but I can see the benefits."

"Yes, many of our kind find our lifestyle abhorrent and unnatural. It isn't easy but it has its benefits in terms of quality of lifestyle and its ability to build strong ties to each other."

Kate gave Edward a long look.

"Kate, Emmett and Rosalie were just about to go hunting. Would you and Callum like to join them?" Edward offered graciously.

Emmett and Rosalie looked surprised for a moment but this family had been together a long time and knew how to take queues from each other.

Rosalie smiled and said, "Yes, please join us."

Kate turned to Edward. "I'm good. But please why don't you take Callum to check out the local wildlife."

Callum protested at first but Emmett convinced him that he knew a spot that sometimes had bears. Rosalie smirked, "Callum, watch out for Emmett. He likes to play with his food."

Alice quickly said, "Come on Tanya. Let's go with them and show them how it's done."

Tanya nodded but then stopped when she noticed Edward hadn't followed to the sliding glass door. "Aren't you coming with us, Edward?"

"No, you guys go without me."

Tanya didn't look pleased.

As soon as the hunting party left, Kate turned to Edward. "Thank you, Edward. I wanted a few minutes alone with you to see what you thought of Callum?"

"Perhaps I should leave," I said uncomfortably. Kate looked like she had forgotten I was even in the room.

"You don't have to leave, Bella." She turned to the others in the room. "I know I sound foolish, but I needed you to meet Callum to make sure I'm not seeing what I want to see."

Carlisle stood up. "Kate, what is going on?"

"Could you hear his thoughts?" She asked Edward.

"Yes, I could hear his thoughts."

Kate looked embarrassed. "I know this may seem wrong but I really wanted to bring him here to get your read on Callum. Is he the person he presents himself to be?"

Edward stared at her for a moment. "I would say that his thoughts were consistent with everything he said. However, did you tell him about our gifts? If you did he could have tried to hide something. I didn't read any subterfuge but I can only read what he is thinking when I'm around."

"I know. Could we stay for a while? I didn't tell him about any of your gifts and I told Tanya not to say anything either. After Irina's experience with Laurent, I wanted some outside opinions. I really think he could be someone special."

"Your mate?"

"I'm not sure. After all these centuries I think he could be someone I could build something with. Not everyone is as lucky as your family to find their mates."

Kate turned to Carlisle. "How did you know that Esme was the one?"

I was uncomfortable with this conversation. What would I do if she asks Edward how he knew Tanya was his mate?

Carlisle put his hand on Esme's shoulder as she sat beside him on the love seat. "The first time I met Esme she had broken her leg and I was a doctor working temporarily in a practice near her hometown. When I saw her, it was like I had been looking at the world in black and white and suddenly everything was in Technicolor."

"I didn't know that!" Esme said softly. Carlisle spoke directly to Esme then.

"You were so young and innocent. I didn't think there was any way we could be together so I kept my distance. All I wanted was for you to have a happy life. I tried to stay far enough away so I didn't interfere in your life. I knew from the first moment I met you that you were the one."

I heard frustration in Kate's voice as she said, "I don't know if he is the one but for the first time in forever I feel something bigger than myself." Kate turned back to Edward. "Could you tell what Callum feels for me?"

"Jasper might be the better one to respond to that question."

"You're right. I know I sound silly but I feel young and unsure for the first time in hundreds of years. I've known many human men but this is different. This could be my equal. Someone I could build a life with like you have all been so lucky to do."

Everyone looked over at Jasper and he took that as his queue. "I didn't sense any subterfuge when he told his story. I could feel the anger he had toward his unknown sire. I could feel his guilt when he spoke of his first feeding. As for his feelings for you, Kate, I could sense gratitude, lust and strong feelings of affection. Like Edward, I'm limited to what he is feeling around me. Could Eleazer sense any gift?"

Kate grimaced, "Eleazer, Carmen and Irina are in Volterra."

Carlisle looked surprised.

"Aro asked Eleazer to visit before I met Callum. I suspect he wanted Eleazer to check out some potential recruits and Eleazer likes to keep things cordial with Aro." Carlisle nodded his head in agreement at Eleazer's handling of the Volturi. "Irina decided to go with them to see if she could find some word on Laurent."

I looked warily at Carlisle at the mention of Laurent's fate. He subtly shook his head at me.

"Why didn't you go with them?"

"I don't really know. I don't like the politics of the court and the judgment on our life style by the members of the Volturi. Besides, no good could come from Aro reading my thoughts."

Everyone in the room nodded in agreement. Edward broke the momentary silence. "Well, at this point Callum seems to be what he appears. I'm sure Alice, being Alice, has already realized that you don't want Callum to know about our gifts. So I'm sure she has told Emmett and Rose not to mention them. Does Callum have a gift?"

"I don't think so. He said that Joseph mentioned that some vampires are gifted to him so he is aware that such gifts exist. I asked him if he had noticed anything but he said he hadn't experienceed anything beyond enhanced senses and strength. He knows about my ability but since it is more a novelty he didn't seem that impressed."

Edward turned to me and explained, "Kate has a defensive gift. If someone tries to grab her hand or arm she can shock them." Edward turned back to Kate. "If he thinks it is a novelty you must have taken it easy on him. I've seen you drop Emmett with just a tap of the finger."

She grimaced. "It took me forever to spread the ability from my fingertips to my arm."

Jasper said, "I would feel better if Eleazer had met Callum and could sense if there was some ability or not."

Carlisle agreed, "Well, he is a guest in our home so let's give him the benefit of the doubt."

Kate hugged Carlisle, Jasper and Edward, "Thank you."

Esme said, "We just want you to be happy."

That seemed to break up the discussion. Carlisle asked Jasper for some help on something in his study. Edward turned to me. "Bella, can we finish our conversation? Will you take a walk with me?"

Kate looked at me and Edward in speculation for a moment before leaving the room with Esme.

Thinking it was better just to get this conversation over with, I was just about to agree when my cell phone rang.

"Why doesn't my key work in the lock?"

"Leah! I thought you were going to stay in Forks a couple of more days."

"I was, but Mom and Charlie insisted everything was fine and I should get back to classes. Why isn't my key working in the lock?"

"Um, that might take a few minutes to explain. Listen, hold tight and I'll be right over to the apartment."

I turned to Edward, "Could you take me home?"

He looked frustrated but said, "Of course. Let me get my keys."


	22. Chapter 22 - No More Interruptions

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens if Bella tried to make it work with Jake after Edward leaves in New Moon.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward leaves Bella but doesn't think Bella died in the cliff diving incident, doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tries to make a relationship with Jake work but fate intervenes. Bella starts over by moving to Oregon and going to school. Fate intervenes again and she runs into Edward again. Can they make it work now that she is older, a bit more broken and disillusioned?

 **A/N** 1 – Thank you to all the new followers of the story. If you have the time, please leave a review to tell me what you think about the story or the writing. Thanks to those that left a review on the last chapter. It really inspires me. I love reading your theories. A few of which I wish I had thought of. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter 22 – No More Interruptions**

"Thank you for taking me home, Edward." I grabbed the door handle but before I could open it he was already out of the car and opening door for me. Damn vampire speed.

Edward followed me to the door. Leah sat on the floor in front of it with her back propped against the door as she played with her phone. She jumped up when she saw me. "Bella, what's going on? Why is he here?"

"Why don't we have this conversation in the apartment?" I opened the apartment with the new key that Emmett gave me and punched in the security code he had texted while we were driving over. Edward carried Leah's bag in and placed it on the couch. Leah watched in surprise as he went into each of the rooms.

"What is he doing?"

"Checking for intruders."

"What the f…..,?" Leah stopped the sentence as Edward came back in the room and checked the windows and the sliding glass door.

"Everything looks secure."

I shepherded Edward towards the door. "Thank you Edward. And please thank Jasper and Emmett as well."

"Bella, could we finish that conversation?"

"Not now, Edward. Let me catch Leah up. Let's talk later."

He looked like he wanted to argue but nodded. "Maybe tomorrow after class?"

"Maybe," I said and I closed the door and threw the dead bolt.

"What was that all about and why does this place reek of vampires?"

I explained what had happened and Allice's insistence on sending Jasper and Emmett over. "So here is your new key and the code to the security pad."

"You should have called."

"It all happened so fast. I thought I was being paranoid and then Alice called and took over."

"What made you think someone had broken in? Did you notice anything missing?"

"I found the sliding glass door open a few times when I could have sworn I locked it. Nothing valuable was gone like the TV or the laptops. This is going to sound stupid, and I'm sure I probably misplaced it, but I'm missing that green bowling shirt.

"The green shirt that I've wanted to burn for the last six months?"

"Hey, no hating on chief!" I said with mock indignation but I could hold back a giggle. She really hated that shirt.

"So do they think someone was in the apartment? I have to tell you that I don't smell anything but that isn't saying much because Jasper and Emmett's scent are now all over the apartment."

"They think it's possible. Alice speculated that one of the maintenance guys might have let himself in. So they changed the locks and put in the security system."

"Wow, all in a morning?"

"Vampire efficiency."

We both laughed in a moment of black humor.

"Well, I'll be more vigilant in checking the place out for now on."

"Enough about that. How's your Mom and Charlie? Why are you back so soon?"

"Both are doing better. Nothing really to update since we talked on the phone other than them kicking me out this morning to come back to school. Mom was getting uptight about me missing classes and Charlie said it might be better to just to give in and come back. He said he and Seth had everything under control. Your Dad was super sweet with Mom. He wouldn't let her lift anything heavier than a tea cup."

"How is she going to survive on Charlie's and Seth's cooking?"

"No worries. I spoke to Emily and she's going to take care of that."

Leah opened the windows and the sliding glass door to "air the place out" while there was still some daylight.

Leah flopped back down on the couch. "Ok, now tell me what happened with the Cullens. What was their place like? Did you and Edward talk?"

I really didn't want to address the Edward conversation yet so I started with the harmless information. "Well, this house makes the Fork's place look like a shack." I described the house and grounds and where they were situated. "Of course a lot of their selection is based on easy access to hunting."

"Wow. I guess in a city this size, they don't have to downplay their wealth."

I nodded in agreement.

"I see Edward is still trying to have that heart to heart."

"We actually did start to talk alone but we were interrupted."

"So what did the Cullens have to say when they finally cornered you?"

I sighed, "Basically, they wanted to apologize for leaving the way they did." I went on to explain their side of the events and why they supported Edward. "It was pretty much what Alice said when she came that first night."

"Can you forgive them?"

"I find it's hard to hold on to the anger but harder to let go of the hurt. But I missed them."

"Did you tell them about Victoria?"

"I told them what they needed to know."

"So, that would be a no."

"I told them most of the story and skimmed over a few parts that just aren't relevant to them."

"You mean Jacob."

"Yes."

"What did Edward have to say before you were interrupted?"

Again, I repeated Edward's explanations.

"Basically, he apologized for leaving me in danger with Victoria and tried to explain why I shouldn't hold his actions and lies against the family. He asked me to forgive him. He only wanted me to have a chance at a safe and normal life."

Leah scoffed. "Well that didn't quite go as planned."

I nodded in agreement at the understatement.

"It sounds like you are ok with his family. Can you forgive _him_?"

"I don't know. I don't know why it matters. He's with Tanya now."

"He wasn't looking at you like someone in a committed relationship. He looked at you like a starving man looking at a buffet."

"I've told you before, that's just my scent. He once said it was like his "personal brand of heroine". We haven't been around each other enough for him to build up a tolerance again. Besides, too much has happened. He remembers innocent, trusting and worshipping Bella. I'm not that naïve child anymore."

"Come on, let's drop this and cook some supper. I'm in the mood for fried chicken."

Just then, Leah's cell phone buzzed. "It's a text from Luke. He and Kyle want to take us out Saturday."

"How did he know you were back?"

"I texted him when I was waiting for you to let me in. What do you think? Want to have fun with some cute boys?"

I knew she would just keep badgering me until I gave in. 'Fine. Now help me batter the chicken."

Leah smiled now that had gotten her way. I needed to keep an eye on her. She had a lot in common with Alice. I needed to make sure they didn't form an alliance or I would never survive.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I ran into Alice at the campus hub bus stop the next morning. I had planned to put an hour in at the library before classes. Alice danced over to me as she skipped over puddles along the walkway. It had finally stopped raining but it was still overcast. Alice looked chic in her raincoat and boots. Something between runway-ready and super spy.

"Bella, how could you leave before I got back yesterday?"

"Sorry, Leah was locked out. Besides with Leah home, you and Jasper didn't have to babysit me."

"You say babysit, I say quality Alice/Bella beauty bonding time. I had grand plans for a makeover."

I totally dodged a bullet. I had too many traumatizing memories of Alice trying to play Bella Barbie.

Just then Tanya walked up with Kate and Callum. "Bella, sorry you had to leave so early yesterday." Tanya sounded sincere but her eyes implied pure sarcasm.

Kate and Callum said hello and then volunteered, "We thought it would be fun to tag along with Tanya and Alice to check out the campus and maybe audit a class."

"They were just about to show us around? Won't you come with us?" Callum added.

Alice gave me puppy dog eyes and all resistance melted. "Sure, I'd love to." Besides, it looked like it annoyed Tanya. A girl had to get her fun where she could.

We took them past the stadium and then to the Plaza of the America's, a green area near the main libraries. Students studied there at stone tables and on the grass during good weather. The fat squirrels were aggressive and I had seen them steal food from unsuspecting students.

The Hare Krishna's were dressed up in their sheets. They served free rice and vegetables to students rain or shine in exchange for a chance to spread their message and recruit new members. The Plaza was a lot like speakers corner. People that had something to say would just start talking trying to attract the attention of passing students.

A twenty-something with a goatee and questionable hygiene had a large group gathered around him. He was spouting off about Marxism and the class struggle in the United States. We stopped and listened for a few minutes.

"This idiot knows nothing about Marxism," Kate grumbled. "I met Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels and this child's interpretation is completely wrong."

Laughing, Callum dragged a disgruntled Kate away before she began an argument with the kid. "Come on Comrade, let's keep moving."

We all laughed and walked towards the center of campus where the student union was located along with a book store. Kate and Callum looked around, impressed with the selection. Class was about to start so we headed over to the Classics building. Edward was already sitting in class when we arrived.

Tanya made her way to Edward, touched his arm and whispered something in his ear. I thought that was overkill considering he had super hearing. She smirked at me and said, "Well, I have a different class so I'll leave you in Edward and Alice's capable hands and see you back at the house."

I was surprised Kate and Callum weren't auditing Tanya's class. Alice seemed to read my mind and said, "Tanya has an advanced physics class which Kate deemed boring and decided that our class would be more entertaining."

And it was. Kate evidently took exception to Professor Spann's take on the contributors to the fall of the Roman Empire. Not that the teacher looked like he minded. I think he was so entranced by her looks she could have said that Darth Vader led the barbarians on the sack of Rome and he would have caved. As we left he called Kate over and asked, "Perhaps we could continue our discussion over drinks this evening?"

Callum came up beside Kate and took her hand, "We'd be delighted." He seemed more amused than jealous.

The Professor got the message and said as he packed up his briefcase, "Well, I hope you come back and audit another class before you leave. It was nice to have a young lady with such a love of history to debate with."

If only he knew how much of it she actually witnessed first hand.

They filed out of the classroom and Callum turned to Edward.

"Kate told me that you and the rest of your family attend high school and then college over and over again," Callum said.

"Generally, that is true."

"High school? I don't know if I could repeat that again let alone multiple times. My memories are hazy about that time but I do remember it was a bit of the survival of the fittest."

"Well, the younger we start, the longer we can stay in the same place."

"I didn't know that was possible until I met Kate," Callum said as he smiled over at the blonde.

"Our lifestyle makes it possible. To remain hidden one vampire surviving on human blood would need a large metropolitan population to hide the killings. A coven our size wouldn't be able to live and hunt in the same area without the humans becoming suspicious of the number of disappearances and deaths."

"I believe that out of your coven, you were turned at the youngest age?"

"Yes, I was seventeen and dying of influenza when my Mother begged Carlisle to save me."

"That is tough since that must limit all of you when you are establishing identities in a new location. If you don't mind me asking, what is the oldest age you have been able to pose as, Edward?"

"I practiced as a research doctor for a few years with Carlisle and made it to 27."

"How do you do it?" Callum asked.

"It's all in the clothes and the attitude. Humans see what they expect to see."

We passed the library area again when a familiar voice trilled, "Oh my God, Edward Cullen and Bella Swan! It's just like a high school reunion!"

Edward looked less than pleased to see Lauren but he was always a gentleman. "Good afternoon, Lauren. How are you?"

"Great. Great. I'm just surprised to see you two together."

"Really, I can't imagine why?"

"Well I thought you and that blond I always see you on campus with were a thing."

Edward looked at me but I avoided eye contact.

Lauren was on a roll. "And then I saw Bella at CJ's hooking up with a frat guy."

I was surprised at the latter part of her statement. I hadn't remembered seeing Lauren the night I met Kyle. Edward looked less than pleased.

"Lauren, as I mentioned it's been three years since Edward and I dated. But that doesn't mean we can't be friends."

That comment didn't seem to make him any happier.

"Sure, sure," Lauren said with an insincere smile and then looked at the rest of our group. She looked twice at Callum. "Have we met before?"

Callum looked surprised, "No, I don't think so."

Alice tried to smooth things over. "These are friends of ours when we lived in Alaska."

Lauren stared at his face with a look of concentration. "I'm sorry for staring but you look so familiar." She shook her head and then said breezily, "Oh well, I'm sure it will come to me later."

Callum just stared at her.

"Well, I'm going to be late for class or I would stay and catch up some more. Oh, wait. Did you hear the latest news from Forks?" I could tell by her sly smile that comment was directed at me.

I looked at her blankly.

"I spoke to my Mom the other day and she mentioned that she saw the wife of that guy you used to date at the grocery store. My Mom said she's pregnant. I wasn't sure if you heard."

"No, I hadn't heard," I said somewhat woodenly. "I'm sure they are both very happy."

"I'm sure," she said with a malicious smile.

Alice tried to defuse the situation again. "Well, we don't want to make you late for class. We'll catch up another time. We're bound to run into each other again real soon."

Lauren nodded, I'm sure she was satisfied that she had met her quota of slights and innuendos. She took one more hard look at Callum and finally left.

"She seems delightful,"

"She's a real peach," Alice said back to Kate.

Kate laughed. "Well I think we have reached our saturation of academic adventure for the day. We thought we would head over to the Rose Quarter and check out the sights. Do you guys want to come with us?"

"Alice didn't you mention that you had some shopping in that area?"

She looked at Edward for a moment and then smiled, "Yes, I think I'll tag along with you guys. See you later Bella."

I waived as they left. I felt uncomfortable alone with Edward especially after Lauren's comments. He must have sensed my reluctance.

"Please Bella, I feel like I'm chasing you to ground. Will you spare me just a little more time so we can finally finish our conversation?"

I looked into his pleading eyes and nodded.

Xxxxxx

Edward parked the car in front of the "Portland Japanese Garden" sign . He paid the admission and we wandered around the gardens admiring the manicured flowers and trees. It was very serene. He stopped at a bench near one of the brown pagodas. He opened his mouth to say something and I tried to delay the conversation one more time.

"What did Callum mean yesterday about me putting you in danger? How can I pose a danger to you or any vampire?"

This was obviously not where Edward wanted to start but he humored me. "Do you remember your birthday at our house in Forks when we were looking at the painting of the Volturi?" I nodded so he continued, "I told you there were only a few rules that our kind must follow. All of them really narrow down to one main directive – keep the secret."

"That's why Callum's or Alice's abandonment by the vampires that made them were so surprising. A newborn must be trained by its maker before they can be released on their own. The blood lust and a newborn's strength is at their highest the first twelve months after they are turned. An out of control newborn can wreak havoc. Tragic explosions or explanations of viral outbreaks could be used in the past to cover up one of these rampages but now it is more difficult. We're living in the age of camera phones, twenty-four news coverage, and integrated law enforcement agencies. A newborn hunting wildly puts the secret of our existence at risk. The penalty is death to both the newborn and its creator."

"But how do I put you at risk?"

"You know our secret."

"But I would never tell."

"I know that but if the Volturi knew, they might not be so understanding."

"Maybe I should cut off contact with your family. I don't want to put any of you in danger. I would never forgive myself."

"No!" Edward exclaimed then said in a calmer voice, "The damage is done Bella. Aro has the ability to read thoughts like I do but his gift is much more powerful in one sense and more limited in another. While I can read people's thoughts I can only read what they are thinking in the moment. Aro can read every thought you ever had with one touch of his hand. As Kate mentioned, if any of us were to encounter Aro and he took our hand he would know about you. We know the risk and we accept it."

"Why? Why are you all taking such a risk? When we were together I thought you might change me but now it doesn't make any sense."

"Bella, I never wanted to change you."

I felt sick. It shouldn't still hurt to hear him so bluntly say that he hadn't wanted me enough to change me, but it did. _Not good enough._ I had years to replay his words over and over in my mind and I should have been numb to the rejection, but somehow I wasn't.

"All I've ever wanted for you was a safe and happy life."

I laughed at the irony of that wish.

"Look Edward, it doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters. There are still things you don't know. Reasons why I said the things I did."

"No, it doesn't matter. The fact that you could so easily leave me says everything I need to know about your feelings."

"Bella you don't understand..." He took my hands in his. I felt his cool touch but it didn't dim the buzz I received as he gripped my hands. "Leaving you was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. When we were in the forest, when I was telling you goodbye…..I could tell you weren't going to let me go," he whispered. "I didn't want to do it but I knew that if I couldn't convince you I didn't love you anymore, it would just take you that much longer to get on with your life. I hoped that if you thought that I had moved on, so would you."

"A clean break."

"Exactly. But I never imagined it would be so easy to do! I thought it would be next to impossible – that you would be so sure of the truth that I would have to lie through my teeth for hours to even plant the seed of doubt in your head. I lied, and I'm so sorry. Sorry, because I hurt you. Sorry, because it was a worthless effort. Sorry, that I couldn't protect you from what I am." He paused for a moment and then said, "I lied to save you, and it didn't work."

His words didn't make sense to me.

Then he turned on me. "But how could you believe me? After all the thousand of times I told you I loved you, how could you let one word break your faith in me?"

I didn't answer. I was too shocked to form a rational response.

"I could see it in your eyes, that you honestly believed that I didn't want you anymore."

I had enough. I blurted out, "Because it never made sense! We never made sense. Why would you be with someone like me? Someone ordinary. Like you said that day, I wasn't good enough for you."

He looked shocked at my words.

"Why can't you see yourself clearly?" He said with exasperation. "I never said you weren't good enough for me! I said you weren't good for me. That was part of the lies I told. Bella, you have to know you are _too_ good for me. After over a century in this existence you are the only thing that has ever brought me joy. You gave my life meaning."

"No! No! You're lying!" I jumped up from the bench we had sat on and loomed over him. "You just admitted you never wanted to change me." I couldn't stop the tears that welled in my eyes.

He stood up and took my hands in his. I tried to pull them away but he held firm. "I never wanted to change you because I never wanted this life for you. You deserve better. You deserve more than this half-life. You deserve a husband that can give you children. Someone that can grow old by your side."

My stomach dropped at his words about children.

"Don't you understand?" I sobbed. "I didn't care about any of that. I just wanted to be with you. I just wanted to love you."

He shook his head, "You were so young, Bella. You thought that then at eighteen, but what would have happened in ten years, twenty years or a hundred? My greatest nightmare was to turn you and then for you to realize what you sacrificed to be with me. I couldn't bear the thought of an eternity of you looking at me with hatred for bringing you into this life."

"So leaving me was the better alternative? Don't you think I deserved a say?" I demanded.

He was quiet for a moment.

"Don't you think I should have had a chance to tell you what I wanted? Did you ever think that I knew what I wanted? Maybe then I could have told you that what I would have gained by being with you would have outweighed anything you thought I was sacrificing."

"Perhaps reading minds for so long has made you think you know better than everyone else. Or maybe the age gap made you believe I was too immature to know my own mind. But you should have talked to me. You made a unilateral decision about us that had long reaching consequences for so many people."

"You mean the wolves?"

I smiled ironically at him, "You wanted me to move on! You wanted me to be safe! You have no idea what you set in motion."

I turned my back on him for a moment. My shoulders were hunched and it took everything I had to try to not shatter into little pieces. I felt him walk up behind me. His chest was just inches from my back. Even though I knew it would be cold if he touched me, I burned at the thought of how close he was to me. His breath feathered my ear, the smell was intoxicating as he put his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry, Bella. Please, forgive me."

I snapped around, "Edward, what does any of this matter?" I swiped the tears from my eyes, "You moved on. We both moved on."

"Did you? Is it the guy that Lauren mentioned from Forks? Or the frat boy that she saw you with."

Dear God, how much had Edward picked up from Lauren's mind when she was spewing her poison?

"Maybe you moved on. That would only be fair. But I never moved on."

"Liar! How can you be saying these things to me now that Tanya is your mate?" I wiped again at the tears that blurred my eyes. I missed his incredulous look.

"Mate?! Whatever made you think that Tanya is my mate? You can't believe that based on Lauren's comment about seeing me with a blond?"

"She is always with you. She is constantly touching you as if she has the right."

"She's always been like that," Edward dismissed it like it didn't matter. "She's been doing it for so long I tend to ignore it."

"She is living with you."

"Yes, she lives on the property as we have sometimes lived with the Denali's at their place. But she has her own cottage and I have mine."

"She _told_ me she was your mate and she warned me away from you."

"What? When did she do that?"

"Last week. She tracked me down and explicitly told me she was your mate."

"Tanya is not my mate! She is a family friend who has obviously overstepped her boundaries. Sure, she has always wanted something more and maybe for a moment I thought about trying. But she is not my mate."

I wasn't sure what "trying" meant.

"You said your kind was easily distracted."

He looked ashamed. "My lies are going to haunt me with you, aren't they Bella?" He took my shaking hands and said, "You are the only person I have ever loved."

This was too much to take in. I felt overwhelmed.

"I swear to you, Bell. You are the only woman I have ever loved or will ever love. Bella, please forgive me." Edward said again. "Can you give me a second chance?"

He had said all the things I had dreamt about when I fantasized his return to Forks. I wanted to rush into his arms but so much had happened. I wasn't the same person. There were so many things he didn't know.

I looked into his beautiful face, "I don't know. I'm not the same person that you left in Forks. I'm older. I've experienced some things that changed me. You don't know this Bella and you may not feel the same about me."

"Of course I do. I would love you no matter what."

I tried again, "I'm not that innocent seventeen year old that worshiped you like a god."

"I'm glad," he said fiercely. "I never wanted that." He thought for a second and said, "Or maybe you need to see if your feelings have changed now that there is an age difference? Do you see me as a frozen seventeen year old? Maybe now that you are, as you say, older and more experienced that there is too large of an age gap?"

"No, that isn't it." I was shocked that he was insecure about that. As he said to Callum, I knew that he could pass for a variety of ages.

He looked relieved, "If it isn't the age issue, then give me the opportunity to get to know this new you. I promise if you give me another chance I won't let you down."

That comment angered me for a moment. "Edward, I have had too many promises from the men in my life. Promises that they won't hurt me. Promises to love me forever. Promises that they will never leave me. NONE of you kept those promises."

He looked down but I could see he looked ashamed.

"I guess I have lost confidence in promises of love and forever. I've lost confidence in myself. Maybe there is something missing in me that makes it so easy for all of you to walk away? First my Father, then you and then J…"

Edward interrupted, "Bella, that isn't true! You are beautiful inside and out. I can tell you from random thoughts I picked up from you father that it killed Charlie when Renee took you away. I know I made the biggest mistake in my existence when I left you in Forks. Please, if you have any feeling left for me, give me a second chance."

"I don't know, Edward." Part of me wanted to just give in but I had been burned too many times. Part of me wanted to protect myself from future pain which seemed inevitable. He left me once. What would stop him from doing it again?

I looked into his pleading eyes and gave into what I knew wasn't good for me but something I hadn't been able to completely give up hope on. "How about if we take this slow. I would want us to get to know each other again. I would want you to get to know the person I am now before you make me any promises."

He put his hand on my cheek. "That is more than I deserve."

A thought occurred to me and I pulled away. "What about Tanya?"

Edward looked angry. "I'll take care of Tanya."


	23. Chapter 23 - Close Call

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward but first we have to show what happens if Bella tried to make it work with Jake after Edward leaves in New Moon.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward leaves Bella but doesn't think Bella died in the cliff diving incident, doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tries to make a relationship with Jake work but fate intervenes. Bella starts over by moving to Oregon and going to school. Fate intervenes again and she runs into Edward again. Can they make it work now that she is older, a bit more broken and disillusioned?

 **A/N** **1** – I'm trying to get back to posting at least once a week. I had a question from one of the guest reviewers on how many more chapters the story will be and I'm not sure. I want to give justice to Edward and Bella's side of the story so I still have a ways to go.

Thanks again to Cheatward spot on Facebook for recommending the story. My traffic stats went crazy after that. Thank you everyone that took the time to review the last two chapters. Your reviews kept me motivated. Thank you Jujubakiller and Snoopylover60 for your kind words – they made my day. Thanks to the guest reviewers who said some really nice things as well. I try to reply to reviews so I'm sorry there is no way to reply to the guest reviewers.

I'm thrilled at all the new followers of the story. If you have the time, please leave a review to tell me what you think about the story or the writing. It really inspires me. I love reading your theories. A few of which I wish I had thought of. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

 **Chapter 23 – Close Call**

Edward drove me home and walked me to my front door. There was a long silence as we stared at each other. We were still somewhat awkward with one another. "I'll call you?"

I nodded and ducked into the apartment. I leaned against the door and closed my eyes. My head swam with our conversation and the emotions it had stirred up.

"What was that about?"

I opened my eyes in surprise. Leah was in the living room folding laundry.

"Um, that was Edward dropping me off."

"Why do you look so shell shocked? Did you finally let him get you alone?"

I nodded.

"Well?"

"He said he still loves me."

"Huh."

We both looked at each other not sure what to say.

"So are _we_ happy that he still loves you?" Leah asked cautiously.

"I don't know."

"Well, what did you say to him?"

I gave her a replay of our conversation. I ended with, "I told him I'm not the same person I was when we were together. I said that he doesn't know this me and that he may not love who I am now."

"Did you tell him about Jake?"

"No. I'm not ready to talk to him about that. I'm not sure how much he has a right to know."

"How did you leave it?"

"I told him I was willing for us to get to know each other again and see where it goes. Do you think I'm wrong?"

"That sounds like more than he deserves."

"That's what he said."

"Are you sure you're ready to get back on the supernatural merry-go-round?"

"No. But what if Sam had come to you before he and Emily had married? What if he had said all the things you secretly dreamed of hearing him say? That he was wrong. That leaving you was the biggest mistake he ever made. Could you have forgiven him?"

"I know what you are getting at. First love leaves a lasting mark. It's hard to give up on the dream."

"Yes. He was my first love but he also hurt me in a way that destroyed my self-confidence. After everything that has happened I don't know if I even know how to be happy anymore."

She came over and hugged me.

I hugged her back and then sat back on the sofa and wiped away the tears that had fallen down my cheek.

"You told me that when you first met Edward he would sneak into your room and watch you sleep."

I nodded.

"First, that is wrong on so many levels. Second, is there any chance that Edward was the one that came into the apartment?"

If Leah had asked that when I was seeing Edward in Forks I would have said that Edward watching me sleep was just another sign of how much he loved me. In retrospect, it was a bit creepy.

Even coming to that conclusion about Edward's old stalking habits, I said, "I don't think so. If it had been Edward, I think Alice would have acted like nothing was wrong and then she would have kicked Edward's ass in private. The fact that she said she thought someone might have been in the apartment and the guys put in the security system makes me think it is a stranger to them."

Leah nodded and let the subject drop. I had waited all day to ask her something.

"I saw Lauren Mallory on campus today. You forgot to tell me _all_ the Forks gossip."

Leah looked uncomfortable. "What do you mean?"

"Lauren took great pleasure in telling me that she spoke to her mom who happened to mention that Jake and Vanessa were expecting. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I figured you had enough on you plate right now. Are you ok?"

"It was hard to hear something like that but it was worse coming from Lauren."

"I'm sorry. It didn't occur to me that news would travel all the way to here. I swear I was going to tell you about Jake and Vanessa before we went home for the holiday. It wasn't supposed to be common knowledge. It's early days right now and they haven't made the official announcement."

"I guess this is going to fast track the wedding."

Leah nodded in understanding.

"It's hard to hear that he's going on with his life. He'll have the things I'll never have."

Leah said something so sentimental it surprised me. "You can have love. Edward is there offering you love."

I shrugged. I was too much of a coward. I wasn't sure I could fully believe that yet. "I don't know if I trust the words after the way he left me. I certainly don't trust the words after what happened with Jake. They both said beautiful things, but when it came down to it they both didn't have a problem leaving me."

"Maybe this pregnancy is just a sign that it wasn't meant to be with Jake. Showing you that Edward might be the right path."

"Who are you and where did you take the cynical Leah I know and love?"

Leah laughed. "Look, this nonsense is just for you. I want nothing to do with that fickle bitch fate."

As if on cue, Leah's cell phone rang. I got up from the couch to start dinner and said on the way to the kitchen, "Maybe that is fate calling to tell you that you shouldn't haven't been so rude. She is not only a fickle bitch but a vengeful one as well."

Leah made a rude gesture with her middle finger which I chose to interpret that she was trying to tell me she thought that I was number one. She said hello to Luke and took the phone call into her room.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I was in a study group at a Starbucks when my phone rang the next day. My stomach fluttered like butterflies went crazy in it when I heard Edward's voice.

"I would like to invite you out for a date tomorrow night."

I excused myself from the group and went outside for some privacy.

"Oh Edward, I'm so sorry. Leah and I have plans."

There was a long uncomfortable pause. "Oh. Would it be rude of me to ask what they are?"

"Uh, well before we spoke at the gardens, Leah and I agreed to meet Kyle and his friend Luke for dinner tomorrow."

There was an even more uncomfortable pause.

"I see."

"Look, it would be rude to cancel at this late date and it would be unfair to Leah as well."

"Of course. Well, maybe another time."

"Edward, wait. There is another reason. I want to tell Kyle that I spoke to my ex-boyfriend and we've decided to try again."

"Really?"

"I said I would give us a chance. I don't want to complicate this by stringing someone else along while we figure out if there is still something there. It wouldn't be fair to Kyle."

"Oh."

"Or to you!"

"Well that sounds like the mature thing to do. How about I call you on Sunday and see if we can set something up then or next week?"

I felt bad for making Edward wait but I liked Kyle and I wanted to be fair to him as well.

A couple of hours later I had finished at the library and I walked home from campus. I stayed longer at the library then I had realized and it was already dark. I hated walking home after sunset. I could hear Charlie's voice in my head as he lectured me. "You girls make sure there is always someone to walk with you at night. You are too vulnerable walking around a college campus alone."

At first, it wasn't a big deal because there were a lot of people in groups walking to the end of day classes, the dining halls, the gyms or the bars.

The walk home also gave me too much time to think. I tried to wrap my head around everything that Edward had said at the Japanese gardens.

I still had a lot of questions for Edward but I was afraid he would ask me some in exchange. I wasn't ready to talk about Jacob. My stomach tightened as I replayed Lauren's words in my head. What I had told Leah was true. I never thought I wanted children until the possibility was taken away. Jake and Vanessa's pregnancy brought back all the grief I felt at losing my baby and then finding out that I wouldn't be able to get pregnant again.

I fell small and petty. I felt mean that I resented the way their life just went on as if nothing significant had happened. Vanessa hadn't had to worry about Jake's reaction to hearing she was pregnant. I'm sure the news was met with excitement and anticipation. She would have his support at doctor's appointments. They would pick out baby furniture together and argue about names. He would hold her hand during labor and proudly show off his child to their families and the pack. He would help her rock a colicky baby back to sleep. He would look under beds and in closets assuring a frightened toddler that there was no boogie man hiding in the dark.

I couldn't help but compare what my experience was with what hers would be. I was so alone those last few months in Forks with only Charlie as support. I had felt like a pariah to the town and to the reservation. Like somehow it was all my fault that I was pregnant. Then I lost the baby. I knew my feelings changed for Jacob forever the moment he said, 'Maybe it's better this way.'

Footsteps broke me out of my pity party. I hadn't realized how desolate the streets had gotten while I was lost in thought. I was about three blocks from the apartment but there weren't any other people on the street. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and I instinctively looked behind me. No one was there.

I turned around and continued down the last commercial block bordering the off campus housing. Lights were on but most of the businesses were closed at this hour. I concentrated on the sounds around me but couldn't hear any more footsteps. I shifted my backpack higher on my shoulder and picked up the pace. Again, I felt like someone was behind me. I looked back but there was nothing there.

I let my backpack slide down my shoulder and opened the front pocket for my phone without stopping. I texted Leah and hit sent when a hand fell on my shoulder. I swung my backpack in a defensive move but it harmlessly bounced off of the owner of the hand.

"Callum! You scared me to death."

"I'm sorry. I was meeting Alice and Kate near campus and I saw you. What are you doing walking around alone?"

"I'm on my way home. I lost track of time at the library and left later than I expected."

"Well, it's lucky that I stumbled across you. It's dangerous for someone so beautiful to be walking alone at this time of night. Why don't you let me walk you home?"

I blushed at his comment. I got a little nervous as I saw his nose flare. Then I noticed under the street light that he was wearing contacts that made his eyes closer to brown. Now that I thought about it, he must have been wearing color contacts the day we showed him and Kate around campus.

"Thanks for the offer but my roommate is meeting me so we can walk the rest of the way home together."

"Well, I'll just keep you company until she arrives. I don't think the Cullens would appreciate me just leaving you standing on a street corner alone."

I felt uncomfortable but nodded.

"So, are you enjoying your visit with the Cullens?"

"Yes, they have been very gracious. I can understand why Kate and her family are so close to them. Carlisle has been sharing his experiences and his time with the Voluturi. He is a fascinating wealth of knowledge. I can't believe he can work with blood the way he does. What amazing self-control."

"Yes. And he doesn't even see it as a big deal. We were lucky when he practiced in Forks. A place like that would never get a doctor of his caliber."

"I never thought of being stationary and having a career like he has. I thought that path was lost when I was transformed."

"Do you remember what you wanted to be before you were changed?"

"I was studying architecture. I've spent some time with Esme talking about architecture and her past projects. It's opened me up to all sorts of possibilities. I might take a page out of the Cullen's book and go back to school."

"Here?"

"Probably not. Maybe travel with Kate and see some of the architectural wonders around the world. I think I might want to have some more time before I'm exposed to this concentration of humans on regular basis."

My heart sped up.

"You are the first human that I've really spoken to since my transformation. It is liberating to know that you know what I am and are not afraid of me."

I wasn't sure about that. There was something about him that set off warning bells in my head.

"I can understand why the Cullens enjoy your company," he continued.

Just then, a couple walked into sight. They were being dragged behind three large dogs of mixed breeding. They must have started the walk when it was raining because I could see the dogs shaking the extra water of their shaggy coats as they happily nosed around the patches of grass and trees that lined the sidewalk marking their path. I felt a little relieved to finally not be totally alone with Callum.

The couple got closer and the dogs growled as they caught Callum's scent. He looked amused by their reaction. I could see that his nostrils twitched at the smell of the wet dogs.

"I'm so sorry," the man said petting the head of one of the growling dogs as he tried to calm him down. "They usually are quite friendly. I promise they don't bite."

"No problem," Callum assured them.

Leah suddenly jogged up out of nowhere. I could see her tense as she got closer. Interestingly, the dogs stopped growling and gave little whimpers in Leah's direction. They immediately lowered their heads to the ground as their backs arched with their hind ends in the air. Their owners tried to get them up and to move on but they stayed in their submissive positions.

Leah glanced at the dogs and said, "What cuties." She bent down and looked each of them in the eye. Their tails started to wag. She gave them a quick scratch on the ears and they tilted their head in devotion. Leah stood up and the dogs followed. The couple struggled for a moment. They tugged on the leashes and were finally able to get the three pups moving forward again.

Callum looked at Leah curiously. "You have quite a way with animals."

Leah shrugged, "I find dogs are a lot like men. If you are firm with them and give them an occasional scratch behind the ears they'll do what you want."

Callum looked amused. Leah just eyed me as if to ask, who the hell Callum was.

"Leah, this is one of the Cullens' friends. Callum, this is my roommate, Leah."

Callum gazed searchingly at Leah and then grinned. "It's a pleasure to meet a friend of Bella's. Are you sure I can't walk both of you back to your apartment before I leave?"

"Thanks, but we'll be fine. We aren't too far away and I would hate to make you any later."

"Ok, then. Leah, I hope we'll meet again."

He walked at a humans pace back towards campus. Within a few minutes the dark swallowed him up.

"What the hell was that?"

"Yeah, I might have forgotten to mention that Tanya's sister Kate came to visit the Cullens with her new boyfriend."

"Do I have to worry about a Vampire here?"

"He feeds on animals like the Cullens. Do you think he noticed anything about you?"

"I don't think so. I'm sure he just smelled wet dog which he'll attribute to the three dogs. Would the Cullens tell him about me?"

"I don't think so. Kate wanted them to check him out so they have kept their talents a secret. I don't think they would tell him there is a shape-shifting wolf in the area. I'll speak to Edward about it to make sure."

"You didn't look comfortable with him."

"I don't know. Edward and Jasper said they couldn't sense anything unusual about him."

"Except for the undead, deathly pale, blood sucking vampire thing."

"Well, yeah, except for that." We both laughed. I got serious. "He seems nice but something just feels off about him."

"Well, next time call me so you aren't walking alone at night."

XXXXXX

The next night Leah and I sat in a booth across from Luke and Kyle. We drank some beers and shared some cheese fries.

"Did you hear about the girl that went missing on campus yesterday?"

Leah and I both looked at Luke in curiosity. I hadn't watched the news last night when we got back to the apartment.

Ever the cop's daughter I asked, "How do they know she is really missing? I thought they wait forty-eight hours before they investigate a missing person."

"I guess her family has juice. I heard she jogs a set path most evenings and has a set time of when she leaves and comes back. When she didn't come back on time her roommate called her parents within a couple of hours of her going missing. Her father is a big real estate developer in the state. Very connected. The next thing you know, the campus police and local law enforcement are doing a search of her jogging route. So far they haven't turned up any information. They set up a tip line for anyone with information that could lead to finding her."

Luke flashed the tip line web page on his phone. It had a picture of the girl along with a toll free number and a reward for information.

Leah looked at the picture. "Wow, she looks like you Bella."

Leah passed the phone so I could get a better look. Kyle held out his hand I passed the phone to him.

"She has similar color hair. The face shape is the same but Bella is much prettier." I blushed as Kyle passed the phone back to Luke.

"What was her jogging route?" I asked.

Luke pressed a few buttons on the phone and handed it to me. I looked at the map that had been posted on the tip line with the blue line showing where the girl jogged. Leah checked out the screen over my shoulder. She looked up at me and I could see we had the same thought.

"Would you boys excuse us? We're just going to run to the ladies room."

Luke shook his head, "I never understand why you girls have to go in pairs."

"Well if one of us needs something it's sure to be in the other's purse. For example, if I unexpectedly got my per…."

"Ok, ok. You don't have to say anything else." Luke interrupted Leah before she could finish the sentence. Like most men he got squeamish at the mention of 'female issues'.

Leah laughed satisfied she made her point and slid from the booth. I obediently followed her.

She checked the stalls and turned to me. "You don't think the new vampire in town could have something to do with the missing girl?"

"The same thought occurred to me when I saw the jogging route. It wasn't far from where we saw him last night. Edward is supposed to call me tomorrow. I don't want to accuse Callum on just a suspicion but I think it would be better for Edward's family to be on the alert if it's even a possibility. I'll mention something to him. "

We used the facilities, washed our hands and then went back to the table.

The rest of the night was a lot of fun. Luke and Kyle were very funny and knew how to riff off each other. We went to a local club after dinner and danced until the bar closed. The guys drove us to our apartment. Luke walked Leah to the door while Kyle and I stayed by the car to talk for a few minutes.

"I had a really great time, Bella. I would love to do this again."

"Kyle, I had a great time too."

"Why do I hear a 'but' coming?"

I sighed. "You're right. There is a 'but'. Do you remember my friends from Forks that I introduced you to the day we had coffee?"

He nodded.

"Well, Edward is an old boyfriend. We broke up about three years ago when he and his family moved away from Forks. We have some classes together and I've seen him a few times when I've met up with his sister. She and I used to be best friends in high school."

"I'm going to take a guess that he wants a second chance."

"We had a very complicated relationship with a lot of misunderstandings. Seeing him again dredged up a lot of memories and old feelings. The way things ended, we didn't get closure. I think I should resolve any residual feelings with him before starting anything new."

"I'd be fine if you wanted to date us both for now. May the best man win and all that."

I smiled. "That is sweet but I don't think that would be fair to you. I like you and I don't want to complicate your life with my drama."

"I appreciate your honesty. I'm sorry this isn't the right time for us. If it doesn't work out with your ex, call me. I think we could have something special," he said softly and kissed me gently on the lips.

I didn't hear the low growl that came from my balcony.

"I think Luke has a thing for Leah so you won't be able to get rid of me completely. So I guess for now, we'll be friends"

"You are a good guy Kyle." I kissed his cheek and ran upstairs. I passed Luke as he loped down the steps with a dazed but happy look on his face. He waived as we passed and I let myself into the apartment.

I didn't see the shadow of the figure that dropped from the balcony to the sidewalk below and disappeared into the night.

XXXX

I was in my bra and panties as I tried to get dressed for my date with Edward. I was struggling to find the right outfit to wear tonight. One outfit looked too casual, one too sexy and one that screamed trying too hard. There was a pile of rejected clothes piled on my bed, floor and dresser. The television played as background noise as I agonized over what to wear. I don't think I had been this nervous about what to wear on our first date in Forks.

"Ugh!"

Leah came into my room and laughed at what looked like a clothing bomb explosion.

"Does Izzy need some help on what to wear on her date with her big bad blood sucking ex-boyfriend?"

I gave her a withering look.

"You know I hate when you call me that."

"I know. That is why it is so fun to do it."

Before I could answer there was a knock at the front door.

"He can't be this early!" I panicked.

"Calm down. I'll answer the door."

A minute later Alice flew into the room with a garment bag and a shoe box. She hung the bag on the top edge of the door and looked me critically up and down.

"I had to come over. I saw the fashion disaster that was about to occur and I've come to save the day."

Leah cracked up. "This is you using your super powers for good not evil?"

"Laugh, but if you saw what she was going to wear you would know why it was urgent that I come here."

Leah snickered. Alice silently looked at the piles of clothes scattered around the room and then at me. She arched an eyebrow at me and I caved.

"Okay. I give in. Show me what's in the bag."

Alice smiled in triumph. She pulled down the zipper of the garment bag and I took out a gorgeous royal blue. In deference to the cooler nights, it was a sweater dress but it ended before the knees. She tried on the dress. It hugged my figure but it fit comfortably. I faced Alice to see what she thought and she pulled some kitten heels from the designer shoe box. They matched the color of the dress perfectly and I saw that they were low enough that I didn't' have to worry about taking a face plant in them.

Alice placed the shoes on the floor and I held her shoulder as I stepped into a pair shoes that cost as much as a few months rent on the apartment. Of course the shoes fit perfectly. I walked over to the full length mirror propped against the wall in my room.

I looked at my image doubtfully.

"Are you sure this isn't too dressy?"

Alice walked up behind me and she looked insulted. "Absolutely not. I know where he is going to take you and this is perfect."

"Superpower?"

"Yup."

"You don't think it is too tight?"

She looked me over. "You definitely have more curves then you did in Forks. But they are in all the right places and this dress shows them to your best advantage."

I was still skeptical. Leah walked up behind both of us and said, "If Edward had a heartbeat, I guarantee it would stop when he sees you in this dress." Leah then looked at Alice in the mirror. "Well that answers one question."

Alice raised an eyebrow.

"You _do_ cast a reflection."

Alice picked something off Leah's shoulder. Leah looked at her questioningly. "Sorry. I thought I saw a flea."

Leah laughed at the quick reply. I was in trouble. These two were getting along way too well. That could mean very bad things for me.

"Ok, now let's…."

I raised my hand signaling to hold on to whatever Alice was going to say next. I caught a sound bite on the TV and grabbed the remote to raise the volume.

"Breaking news on the missing Portland college student. Over to Jane Rivera, our correspondent reporting live at the University Police Department."

"Lara, the University Police have confirmed that missing student, Missy Price, was in fact not kidnapped as her family and authorities feared. As we reported last night, local and campus police worked together to set up a search of the grounds that Missy was thought to have disappeared from early Thursday night. Her father, Gerald Price, a prominent real estate developer in the state of Oregon; was able to mobilize local authorities and set up a tip line which included a reward for information on his missing daughter. In a shocking turn of events, Miss Price was not missing at all. In fact she voluntarily left campus with her boyfriend for a concert in Seattle."

"Her parents must be relieved that she is safe and sound, Jane."

"Yes, her father expressed his thanks to local police, the campus police and the volunteers who helped the family. Ironically, Missy Price is a Communications major at the University."

"Sounds like she still has a lot to learn on communicating her whereabouts."

"So true, Lara," Janet said over what was trying to be passed off as witty banter with the anchor. "Missy Price apologized for the misunderstanding and for the trouble she caused her family and authorities. Her family said she would be volunteering with the local police benevolence society to express her thanks for everything they did. This is Jane Rivera reporting live for WTOG Portland."

Leah and I looked at each other. Well that put the need for the Callum discussion to bed, I thought.

"Why does every television reporter speak like they are from the mid-west until they pronounce a Spanish name?" Leah asked rhetorically. "Suddenly, they sound like they are on one of the Tele-Novellas with a perfect Castilian accent."

Alice laughed and added, "I bet Daddy Price is going to get a serious bill for services rendered by the authorities. Missy is probably going to be paying for that embarrassing stunt for years. I bet they take her BMW away."

Sports came on next and we lost interest in the television. Alice looked me over and said, "Hair. We need to do hair and make-up now."

Thirty minutes later I was coiffed, powdered and painted. Leah and Alice expressed satisfaction with their efforts.

"I'm scared."

They both got serious.

"It's just a date, Bella. You aren't expected to solve world peace or cure cancer. Just some nice conversation and a little fun." Leah tried to reassure me.

"What if I can't think of anything to say? What if he realizes that there is nothing there anymore?"

Alice shook her head. "Bella, that's not going to happen. I promise you that his feelings for you have not changed. He's probably more nervous than you are right now. He's not sure what you feel for him anymore. He's not sure if you can really forgive him for leaving."

I nodded. We obviously had a lot of issues to deal with if we were going to start something again.

Alice looked thoughtful for a moment. "Um, I think I better leave. Edward is going to be here any minute and I don't want him to know that I was here." Alice gave me a hug. "Give him a chance. I promise, this time you won't regret it."

Alice took off and ten minutes later there was another knock at our door. I grabbed the door handle but then hesitated. "Just breathe," I told myself and with a deep breath I turned the handle.


	24. Chapter 24 - First Date Redux

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative Universe to New Moon. Edward leaves Bella but doesn't think Bella died in the cliff diving incident, doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. Bella tries to make a relationship with Jake work but fate intervenes. Bella starts over by moving to Oregon and going to school. Fate intervenes again and she runs into Edward again. Can they make it work now that she is older, a bit more broken and disillusioned?

 **A/N** **1** – Sorry for the delay in update but real life got in the way.

 **Chapter 24 – First Date Redux**

EPOV:

I stood and looked at Bella's front door as I pulled at the collar of the dress shirt that Alice had laid out for me. I was immune to physical discomfort and yet I almost ripped the collar because it felt as if it were strangling me. If I had been able to sweat, I would have been drenched. I clutched the rose in my fist so tightly I crushed the stem. After weeks of campaigning to get Bella to listen to me I didn't want to blow this.

I was shocked when I saw her on campus the first week of classes. I was going through the motions of attending university classes for the sake of my family but everything felt dead inside. Then suddenly she had popped up from behind Leah and I had frozen in disbelief when I saw her. Her face and scent had haunted my mind since I left her in the woods in Forks. My own personal penance. At first I thought it was another case of seeing someone similar and projecting my need to imagine it was Bella. It had happened enough while we were apart.

Even with our expanded capacity I could barely wrap my head around the reality that it was Bella. She was stunning. How could I have ever mistaken those pale imitations for my Bella? No one had ever affected me like she did.

I had perfect recall so I could see every millimeter of change. Time had been more than kind to Bella. She lost the remaining softness of childhood. She had thinned out in all the right places and filled out in all the better places. A jolt of desire shot through my body in a way I hadn't felt since the last time I had held her.

That quickly went away when I saw how she had looked at me.

 _Her posture was stiff and she tried to look through me. A stranger would have never known we were ever more than past school acquaintances as she said hello. This was what I had wanted for her so I couldn't understand why I was so hurt. Tanya's request for an introduction broke me out of my statue like stillness and I fell back on old manners and introduced everyone as if we were at an old fashion social._

 _I knew Tanya could smell a difference about Leah but we had never told Tanya about the Quileute's shape shifting legends. As far as we knew they were only legends mixed in with the legends of the "cold ones" as they liked to call us. Carlisle had warned us to be cautious of the tribe. After several centuries in this existence he had said he was shocked to see how often legends were steeped in some trace of fact. Carlisle had always suspected the strange odor some of the tribe members emitted could be a gene mutation connected to the legend. We hadn't wanted to bring the tribe to the attention of the Volturi. So as far as Tanya and her family knew, the Quileutes were just a tribe that we had made a treaty with because they had legends of our kind. We agreed to stay off their land and they agreed to keep our secret._

 _Bella nodded to Tanya as she was introduced. I concentrated on her for a moment hoping something had changed while we were apart that would finally grant me access to her thoughts. Still nothing. I tried to pick something up from Leah Clearwater but all I could get was the repetitive rhythmic sound of an old Quileute chant. I narrowed my eyes at Leah and she just quirked a small smile. Could Bella have told her about my abilities?_

 _Bella looked at Tanya and I and I could see a micro expression of hurt in her face as she looked between Tanya and me. She quickly changed her gaze to some point over my shoulder. I tried to think of what could have caused that expression. Then I looked over at Tanya and could see how proprietorially close she was standing to me. I frowned at Tanya but she just gave me a smug smile._

 _I willed Bella to look at me again and for a second she did. I felt the jolt through my body again as our eyes met. She quickly looked away. I could see her left hand as it held on to the strap of her backpack. I almost sighed in relief when I saw that it was bare. Then I realized that didn't mean anything. Was she involved with someone? I knew I had done everything in my power to make it easy for her to move on but some selfish part of me wanted to believe that she still cared. How perverse was that?_

 _With a jerky nod of her head to Leah, Bella indicated they needed to go. I wanted to desperately stop her from leaving but what right did I have? I almost reached out to her but Leah's look stopped me in my tracks. I wasn't sure what I would have said to her then anyway. I watched their retreating backs._

 _"So that's the human that made you run from Forks … twice. I can't say I see the appeal. And did you catch a whiff of her friend. What is up with that?"_

 _I ignored the first comment and addressed the second. "It has something to do with her tribe. She's no threat." I had smelled something faintly similar on Billy Black's son the night of the dance. The smell of wet dog was much stronger on Leah._

 _I tore my eyes from where Bella and Leah had walked off to and turned back to Tanya. "Look, I need to do something. I'm going to skip hunting with you this afternoon. Can you make your way back to the house on your own?"_

 _She looked like she wanted to protest but she said, "Sure."_

 _I was relieved to see her go. When she got out of Vampire earshot, I took out my phone. Before I could hit a number it rang._

 _"Bella's here! I just saw it when you decided to call."_

 _"Why didn't you warn me, Alice? Why didn't you tell me that she would be here?"_

 _"I didn't know!"_

 _"How the hell could that be?"_

 _"Look, I'll explain everything when you get home. Lose Tanya. This should be a family only conversation. In the meantime, I've got to run an errand."_

 _She hung up before I could protest._

I hadn't known it at the time but she couldn't wait to see Bella and charged over to Bella's apartment. By the time I got to the house, she had just stormed through the front door.

 _You bastard! She screamed in my head._

 _I grabbed Alice's upper arms and ignored Jasper's growl. "Why? Why didn't you tell me you saw her coming back?"_

 _What has his panties in twist, Emmet thought._

 _'Great, another temper tantrum from our resident drama queen', Rose thought._

 _'If he doesn't let Alice go immediately, he's going to lose those hands', came from Jasper's head._

 _Alice shook off my grip before Jasper could make good on his threat. "I told you, I didn't see her."_

 _"What do you mean you didn't see her?"_

 _"Edward, I didn't see her today until you made the decision to call me."_

 _'What the hell is going on? They better not break any of this furniture. I just finally replaced the last coffee table they broke.' Esme got up from drafting table that was set up off of the family room. "Edward, what's going on? Who came back?"_

 _Alice and I turned to Esme and answered at the same time, "Bella."_

 _Esme looked shocked. "Bella is here?"_

 _I ignored the question and turned back to Alice._

 _"You are telling me that we just happened to be attending the same University that Bella picked to attend? Don't you think that is quite a coincidence?"_

 _"No," Alice said without a hint of regret. "That I will take responsibility for."_

 _Carlisle walked in at that moment. "What is going on here?"_

 _"What do you mean, Alice?"_

 _Calm down, Son._

 _I knew I was yelling but I just had the emotional equivalent of a kick to my solar plexus._

 _I heard the anger in her voice when she explained, "When we left Forks I knew it was a mistake. I thought if we had stayed, Bella would have changed her mind and you would have worked out your issues. I didn't want you to lose her forever because you made a rash decision. So, I left instructions with Jenks to track the schools that Bella applied to for college and to keep me informed. A little over a year ago Jenks sent word that she applied to transfer to a couple of schools in Florida and this one in Oregon. I didn't think she would move too far away from Charlie so I suggested we attend University in Oregon."_

 _"How could you know that she would end up here? That she could even afford out of state tuition?"_

 _Emmett cleared his throat. "Um, that would be me."_

 _I turned to my brother in surprise. There was no trace of his normally goofy attitude. For once he was serious. "I met with Jenks after we left too. I didn't like how we left. I know we aren't supposed to get attached to humans but I thought she was starting to feel like part of the family. I felt like I was leaving my little sister. I was concerned that she might have problems paying for college." He looked at Alice with a rueful smile. "I asked Jenks to set up some bogus scholarships that would target her. You know, like something for a child of a law enforcement professional. I asked him to make sure she would receive a scholarship when she decided on a school."_

 _Carlisle looked at Emmett with a proud smile. Then he turned to me. "If we are confessing, Esme and I might as well admit that we made some arrangements as well."_

 _Carlisle moved and stood beside Esme. She smiled up at him and nodded, giving him permission to speak. He looked back at me. "We set up a health care trust with the hospital after we left Forks. You know how often Bella found herself at the emergency room or at our house needing to be fixed up. We were worried. So wanted to make sure that if for some reason Bella was injured or sick she could receive the best health care without Charlie worrying about the cost."_

 _I was stunned. I felt grateful for my caring family but ashamed that I hadn't thought to do any of those things._

 _Jasper could sense my guilt, "Edward, we knew you weren't in a good place after she broke up with you. Then you were constantly running down leads tracking Victoria. I know it was my fault that you broke up. We wanted to make sure Bella was taken care of in your place."_

 _Shit. Alice reminded of the guilt that Jasper had gone through since I asked them to leave Forks, drew back her arm and slapped my face. "How could you?"_

 _The rest of the family was shocked at her actions. I wasn't. It was what I deserved. I suspected that there were fraction cracks on the side of my face from the force of her hit. I felt it immediately disappear. I wished my guilt was as easy to get rid of._

 _"Tell them what you said! Tell them what you did!"_

 _The other looked at me in confusion._

 _Now it was my turn to confess._

 _"Bella didn't break up with me. I broke up with her."_

 _The cacophony of yelling that came into my head was deafening. "Stop! Please! Let me explain."_

 _They all glared at me._

 _"I was concerned for her safety. After James and then Jasper, I knew she would be in constant danger with us around. Then Victoria started to show up again. I loved her too much to keep putting her in life at risk. I thought if we left the trouble would follow us."_

 _Alice looked at me with disgust, "Do you know how much she loved you? You coward!"_

 _Not a coward, a monster. A monster surrounded by monsters that only put her in danger._

 _"She deserved better! She deserved a chance at a normal life. Something we...no, I couldn't give her."_

 _"Tell them what you said to her!"_

 _"Edward," Esme said sadly, "What did you do?"_

 _I looked at her pleading for her understanding. Surely, she could understand. "I knew she wouldn't give in easily, Esme. I told her it was time for us to leave, that people were starting to get suspicious of Carlisle's age. She said she needed a few weeks to figure something out to tell Charlie and then should could be ready to leave. I told her she wasn't coming with us."_

 _"Tell them the rest!" Alice demanded._

 _"I told her that I didn't want her to come."_

 _Esme gasped._

 _"I told her that I would always love her … in a way."_

 _Rosalie gave me a disgusted look._

 _I knew I deserved all of their disgust. "I said I realized that it was time for a change and I was tired of pretending to be something that I wasn't. I told her that I let our relationship go on too long. I said, 'You're human. Your memory is like a sieve. Time heals all wounds for your kind.' She asked me about my memory and I told her that while I wouldn't forget, my kind is easily distracted."_

 _Rosalie was affronted. "Is that what Tanya has been? Is she your distraction?"_

 _"No! Of course not."_

 _I know I looked guilty for a moment. Jasper stared at me as he sensed my emotions. He looked at me questioningly._

 _Emmett just thought, 'Wouldn't surprise me. Give her an inch and she'd try to turn it into a mile. She's been trying to pop his cherry for decades.'_

 _I looked at him in disgust._

 _"What?" He said with an innocent expression._

 _"How could you lie to us? How could you let Jasper feel like it was his fault all these years?"_

 _"I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't leave if I told you the truth. If I had told you that I was asking you to leave to protect her you would have tried to convince me that we could keep her safe and in our lives."_

 _"Well, she wasn't," Alice exclaimed. "She wasn't safe. Victoria and Laurent stalked her and we left her alone and vulnerable."_

 _"How is that possible? Edward tracked Victoria for months after we left and then found her remains?" Esme asked._

 _"I don't know all the details. I just know that Bella said that she had to rely on the Quileute's to protect her."_

 _"How could they protect her from a Vampire?" Jasper asked._

 _Carlisle stood up straighter and he said slowly. "They turn into wolves, don't they?"_

 _Alice nodded._

 _Carlisle turned to Jasper. "You know that they have legends that the ancestors of a certain warrior line could turn into wolves. They killed a Vampire and his mate hundreds of years ago. They served as protectors for the tribe."_

 _"Like a werewolf?"_

 _"No, like a shape shifter and their chosen shape is a wolf."_

 _Alice nodded again. "Bella said that our presence so near the reservation and then Victoria and Lauren's intrusions to their lands activated the shape shifting ability in some of the younger generation." Alice turned back to glare at me as she said, "We left Bella to rely on adolescent wolves to protect her and destroy Victoria and Laurent."_

 _Everyone spoke at the same time asking questions. Alice whistled for quiet. "I told you, I don't know all the details. Right now she doesn't want to talk to us. We'll have to hope we can get close enough to her to find out what happened."_

 _Later when it was just Alice, Carlisle and myself we discussed why Alice couldn't see Bella's future. I could see the frustration on Alice's face. "I keep telling you that you all rely on my gift too much. I don't know how it works and it is dependent on so many factors. I couldn't just see where Bella was…I actually had to look up Bella's contact information in the campus directory." Alice sounded embarrassed that she had to find Bella the way any other human would have to find her._

 _"I went over to her apartment and her future was a blank. She is living with one of the female wolves, Leah Clearwater. She said she spent most of her time with the wolves and at the reservation after we left Forks. I think the wolves interfere with my abilities."_

 _Carlisle nodded. "That makes sense. They might have some natural defense. Maybe it blocks your ability to see their choices. Bella's future must get caught into it depending on her time with and her proximity to the wolves. "_

 _Alice turned on me again like a badger. "You better make this right! Bella doesn't want anything to do with any of us right now. That is just not going to work for me. I want my best friend back. If you don't have the balls to get the woman you love back at least make it right for the rest of us."_

 _Jasper tracked me down that night in the woods. He took a seat on a rock near a river I was staring down at trying to figure out what to do. I came here hoping that the sight of the mountains and the forest could bring me some peace. It hadn't. Jasper seemed to sense what I needed and I immediately felt a soothing calm. I looked over at Jasper and quirked a smile, "I don't think even you could make me feel better. Besides, after what I did, I'm surprised you would even want to."_

 _"Edward, lying to us was wrong but in the end I think you were hurt the most."_

 _I said nothing but agreed with him. ._

 _"I'm sorry, Jasper. I shouldn't have let you bear the burden of guilt when it was really mine."_

 _"I shared some responsibility, Edward. I shouldn't have snapped at her that night. I think I felt worse, because I had done it to someone that I cared about. I thought I was stronger than that."_

 _"I just wanted her to be safe."_

 _"The road to hell is paved with good intentions."_

 _"True," I acknowledged._

 _"Do you still love her?"_

 _I nodded again._

 _"What are you going to do?"_

 _"I don't know. I don't even know if she is with someone right now. What if her feelings have changed?"_

 _"Isn't that what you wanted?"_

 _I grimaced. I wanted her to be happy but it killed me to think of her in love with someone else._

It took weeks and a break-in before she had finally let me and my family get close enough to apologize. They were only more furious with me after Bella told us how Laurent and Victoria almost killed her. They were relieved that the wolves destroyed both of them but I knew they blamed me for not letting them have the chance to protect her.

I sensed there were parts of the story that Bella glossed over but she was talking to us so I wasn't going to push it by probing more deeply just yet. Lauren Mallory confirmed it when she mentioned Jacob Black. Her head was a hodge-podge of random thoughts about how good looking Lauren still found me, how pissed off she was that her roommate had borrowed her favorite sweater which would have supposedly made me drool and her usual dislike for Bella. I couldn't get any straight narrative out of her head. I knew Billy Black's son had a crush on Bella when he showed up at the dance to deliver his father's warning at the end of junior year.

I guess they dated after we left. I knew I had no right to feel angry that she went out with someone else. The problem with not sleeping is that it gives one too much time to dwell on all their mistakes and to imagine what went on with Bella and that boy.

It was my own fault. I had broken up with her in a way that would ensure she would move on. So I couldn't complain if she did. Still, part of me couldn't believe that she couldn't see through the lies I had told her that day in the woods.

I spoke to Jasper about it the day after I took Bella to the Japanese gardens and agreed to, as she put it, "get to know each other again".

 _"So, she's agreed to give you a second chance?"_

 _"Sort of. She agreed that she would let us get to know each other again before we made any declarations or promises."_

 _"Sounds sensible."_

 _I was frustrated. I blurted out, "I don't know how she could believe the lies I told her when we broke up. After all the times I told her how much she meant to me and how much I loved her, how could she believe the one time I told her I didn't want her anymore?"_

 _"As much as we sometimes think our gifts are a curse, we forget how much we rely on those gifts to tell the truth from the lies. I can sense someone's emotions. So, if they are lying I can usually pick up on the feelings of subterfuge. You can read minds so you can hear what someone is saying externally and thinking internally. Humans have to rely on the words, body language and actions."_

 _I nodded and Jasper continued. "Let's face it, Bella's parents have a lot to answer for in terms of her insecurities. She had to question her importance in their worlds. Her Father didn't fight for more visitation and had barely seen her until she moved in with him. Her Mother remarried a younger man and thought it more important to follow him around while he played baseball than give her daughter a secure home. What high school student wants to transfer before they graduate? I often wondered if those deep set insecurities somehow manifested in her outward clumsiness."_

 _Jasper had a PhD in Psychology so I knew he had a basis for his observations and theories._

 _"Based on her experience with her Father abandoning her and then her Mother basically abandoning her, do you really think it was that hard for her to believe you when you told her you didn't want her anymore and were leaving her?"_

I had wanted to protest but I knew he could be right. She always treated me like I was too good for her. For some reason, she was blind to my true self. She didn't see the monster but I knew it was there. I tried to keep it buried deep but I was always worried that it would break free. She didn't know about the time I let it loose.

For decades I had fooled myself into believing that I had mastered the monster. I controlled my blood lust until the moment she walked into the Forks biology class. She passed in front of a fan and her scent slammed into my senses like a freight train. Even as a new born, I had never experienced anything like it. It was as if her scent called to every ounce of venom in my system. Within seconds my brain had created a complete plan of how to kill every last witness in the room so that I could get to the blood that screamed out to me.

I worried that after such a long time apart that any tolerance I had built up in Forks would be gone and I would react even worse if I ever encountered her scent again. But blood lust was the last thing I felt when I saw her in the quad. It was like a missing piece clicked back in place and I felt complete again.

Still, I knew better than to let my guard down. Was I doing the right thing trying to be part of her life again? Maybe not, but I knew that leaving her before had been an epic failure. I tried to convince myself that there was a way I could fit into her life. Now that I had seen her again, I didn't see how I could leave her again.

Besides, she need me. I wouldn't leave her in danger again.

I was both grateful and angry that she could be in danger again.

Emmett had assured me that they installed the top of the line security system in her apartment.

 _"Could you tell the nature of the smell of the intruder?"_

 _"No. The wet dog smell was too overpowering. And it wasn't just one wet dog scent, it was a number of them. It was all over the unpacked boxes and on the furniture. Jasper and I think that some of Leah's pack brothers must have boxed up their stuff or helped them move it. That and the fact that the place has probably been a revolving door for maintenance and utilities since they moved in, there was just no way to isolate the scent well enough."_

 _"Well, thank you for setting that all up."_

 _"I'm just glad it gave Alice a way to get her to come see us."_

 _"Thank you for what you did for her."_

 _He knew I was talking about the scholarship. He looked embarrassed but then gave one of his cocky grins._

 _"Well, it turned out that Rose was so impressed by my actions and thought I deserved a special reward." He then replayed exactly what that reward entailed until I yelled enough._

 _"Great, now I have to live with that memory." We might indestructible but even bleach wouldn't scrub that scene clean from my head._

 _He just laughed._

 _Jasper's question still haunted me. "Edward, if you get her back, where do you see your relationship going this time?"_

 _I didn't answer him. All I knew was that this time I would keep her safe, no matter what. Even from me._

I shook off my thoughts and focused on the present. I was at Bella's front door for our date. I knocked, heard footsteps and then picked up Leah's thoughts as she approached the door. ' _If he hurts her again, I'm going to personally tear him into pieces. And I know exactly which piece I'm going to set the match to first!'_

 _Ouch!_

She opened the door and I said, "I promise that if I hurt her again, I will hand you the match."

She looked surprised for a moment but then smiled. Leah started to recite the pledge of allegiance in her head as she let me in. She definitely knew about my gift. I took a breath and caught the scent of wet dog and the faint smell of something more. Ah, Alice. She must have just left.

"I see Alice has passed on some of her mind reading blocking ploys."

Leah smiled mysteriously. "Bella," she called out, "Your blood sucker has arrived." More pledge of allegiance.

Bella came out of the left bedroom. She rendered me frozen again. She looked like a dream. She was wearing a short dress in my favorite color, blue. It appeared to be made out of some sweater material and clung to the curves of her body. Curves that weren't there when we were together in Forks. I swallowed hard out of reflex.

Bella smiled nervously. "Is that for me?"

Holy crap, could she see my physical reaction?

I finally pulled it together and realized she was looking at the flower, not lower.

"Of course."

She smiled as she took the white rose. The head of the flower immediately drooped over, the weight of the top too heavy for the broken stem.

Leah laughed at the sight of the sad rose and took the flower from Bella. "I'll just take a little off the bottom and put this into water for you."

We stared at each other for a moment in silence. She was so beautiful. Her cheekbones and jaw line were more defined. Had her eyes always been that soulful? I could have stared into them for eternity and never gotten tired.

She cleared her throat nervously.

Okay, eternity was a lot shorter than I thought. "Sorry for staring. You just look really beautiful."

"Thanks. You look really nice as well. Alice?"

My lips quirked, "Of course. You?"

"Who else?"

Alice was willing to forgive me if I made sure that Bella was a part of our lives. She wanted her best friend back and was going to make sure I didn't do anything to screw that up. Including dressing like an old man as she said.

"Shall we go?"

"Sure. Can I ask where we're going?"

I smiled and said, "The Zoo."


	25. Chapter 25 - The Zoo

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N** **1** – Thank you to all the new followers and those followers that have kept up with the story even though it took me a bit to post. I appreciate those that took the time to leave a review. After I post, I have to admit I am glued to my email to see your feedback on what I posted.

 **Chapter 25 – The Zoo**

I escorted Bella down the steps to the sidewalk and opened her car door.

"No Volvo?"

I looked down at the black Audi R8 and shrugged, "It's a big city. We can drive what we want here and don't have to worry about being conspicuous."

I loved this car. It had the sleek lines of other luxury performance sports cars like a Ferrari and Lamborghini but a lot less profile. That was always the name of the game in this life.

"This would definitely be conspicuous in Forks."

"I didn't see your truck in the parking lot. Did it finally give up the ghost?"

She was quiet for a moment. "No, it's still running. It just requires a lot of attention from someone that knows about cars. I gave it to Seth when Leah and I left for Florida."

"When did you go to Florida?"

She paused again. "Right before Sue and Charlie moved in together and got married."

That sounded awfully familiar. "Did you have a problem with Sue?"

"No, not at all. Sue's great. She's really good for Charlie. I was happy to have him settled. It made leaving easier. Knowing there was somebody there for him and to take care of him."

"So what made you go to Florida?"

"Leah and I were both looking to get out of Forks. She had a bad break up and I needed to make some decisions. It seemed like a good idea at the time." She looked out the passenger window and shrugged. "So, I gave Seth the truck and Leah and I flew out to Jacksonville to stay with my Mom. A few weeks turned into a few months. We got jobs, earned some money for school, got our school applications completed and we ended up here."

For the millionth time, I wished I could read her mind. I loved the respite from all the noise but she was such an enigma to me. It would be so much easier if I could hear her thoughts. I knew there was a lot that she was leaving out of the story. Did the move have something to do with Billy Black's son? Was Leah the only with a bad break up. It fit with Lauren's comment. I didn't want to push it the first night she agreed to go on a date with me but somehow I would get the full story.

"Coming back to the Pacific Northwest must have been different after all that sunshine?"

"It was nice living near the beach for a while. We thought about staying. We were both accepted to University of Florida which was no mean feat. In the end, we both missed this part of the country. It grows on you. Don't you think?"

I agreed but what I really thought was how fortunate I was that they had come back. We might not have met again if she had stayed in Florida. I was so lucky to have this second chance.

I tried to keep things like so we spoke of unimportant topics like differences between Oregon and Washington as I drove through the city. The daylight savings time change wasn't for another month so it was still light out as we entered the gates for the Oregon Zoo.

"You weren't joking. We really are going to the zoo."

"That's correct."

I pulled up to the main entrance and a red jacketed valet ran from a podium with an umbrella to the driver side door. There was only a light drizzle. I took the umbrella, threw him the keys and opened Bella's door. The valet didn't know where to look first. He scanned the car. ' _He has to be close to my age. How the hell does he afford a car like this? Must be his dads.'_ He scanned Bella. ' _Damn, maybe if I had a car like this someone like her would go out with me.'_

In his dreams. I scowled at him and he quickly got in the car and parked it.

"So the Zoo is open at night AND has a valet?"

Just then a limo drove up and an older couple exited and walked toward the entranceway.

"Normally, they aren't open at night except for a summer concert series. Tonight is special. This is a charity event to raise funds to update the Polar bear enclosure. I thought you might like to see the exhibits and there is supposed to be some music and maybe dancing. I hope that is okay with you?"

It took some planning to come up with a date in which the meal wasn't the main part of the evening.

"Absolutely. That sounds interesting."

"Shall we go?"

I held out my arm to her and she put her arm through mine. I felt the warmth of her skin as I tucked my other hand around her arm. She shivered for a moment. "Are you cold? Would you like my jacket?"

She looked at me for a moment and said, "No, I'm fine."

We walked through the ticket entrance and were greeted by a volunteer that handed us a program and directed us to the Central Plaza. It was just starting to get dark. There was music playing softly over the speakers along the walkways. The Zoo had scattered twinkle lights in trees and the borders of the various buildings. It created a romantic atmosphere that I hoped had some effect on Bella.

We followed the lighted path past various animal enclosures. We stopped at the giraffe enclosure and watched a woman in a cocktail dress as she fed leaves to a giraffe. She squealed in laughter when a second giraffe tried to get some leaves as well. We passed an alligator pit where a man in a tux was arguing with his companion.

"I don't have anything in common with this alligator."

The woman twenty years his junior shrugged her shoulders and said, "I don't know. That smile is awfully familiar."

I had to agree with her. I had seen his commercials on TV advertising his legal firm's services promising big payouts for accidents. Only a shark would have been closer to his smarmy smile.

We read each enclosures sign to see which animal resided inside. Bella broke into a smile when she saw the hippo enclosure.

"Edward! Look they have hippos"

What would it take to have her smile at me like that?

"Are those baby hippos?"

They were the size of a very large dog.

"No, look at the sign. They are pygmy hippos."

I read the plaque in front of the enclosure aloud, "The pygmy hippopotamus is a small hippopotamid native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia with small populations in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast. It is semi-aquatic and relies on water to keep its body temperature cool. It is an herbivore, feeding on ferns, grasses and fruits. There are fewer than 3,000 remaining in the wild."

"See, your generosity ensures that future generations will see these beautiful animals."

"I had no idea that you had such a love for hippos."

She looked a bit embarrassed but then explained, "You know that Renee refused to send me to Forks for a few years when I was around eleven?"

I nodded.

"Well, Charlie would meet me somewhere between wherever Renee had us living at the time and Forks. One year it was San Diego and that is when I saw my first live hippo. When I saw the pygmy hippo I dreamt of having one for a pet. It wasn't really much bigger than a Great Dane that our neighbor had at an apartment complex we were living at around the time I visited Charlie. I plotted that my hippo could live in the complex pool and I would swim and play with him after school. The plan fell apart when I couldn't figure out a viable way to get him on the plane. Charlie consoled me with a stuffed hippo from the gift shop. I loved that hippo. It reminded me of one of the best times I had with Charlie. I slept with it for the next two years straight."

I smiled, "What made you stop?"

"A slumber party. Renee made me go to a girl in my class' slumber party and they made fun of Hamilton."

"Hamilton?"

"Yes, Hamilton the Hippo. I named him after one of my favorite stories, _Hamilton the Purple Hippo_."

"Hamilton the _Purple_ Hippo?"

"Yes," Bella said with some patience. "Hamilton is a purple hippo. He and his family move to a different section of the savannah and Hamilton is sad because he didn't have anyone to play with in his new home. All the animals he meets are shocked at his color and comment in surprise that he is purple – something that was never an issue where he used to live. His parents tell him to go out and make some new friends so he walks to the local watering hole but none of the hippos there will play with him because he is purple. His parents encourage him to keep trying to make friends so he wanders around and he meets some lions. The lions laugh at his purple color and tell him that they won't play with him because he doesn't have a mane and a roar. He uses mud and puts grass around his head to make a mane but when he tries to roar all that comes out is a grunt and the grass falls off. The lions laugh at him."

"Right, hippos don't roar."

"Now how do you know that?"

"Fun fact I picked up on safari in Africa. Emmett got tired of bears one year and proposed we try hunting more exotic wildlife so we took a trip to Africa to an area that had a culling program."

"Of course he did."

I just smiled at her wry reply.

"Tell me you didn't eat a hippo!"

"No, we stuck to the carnivores. Your hippos were safe. Now, tell me what happens to poor purple Hamilton?"

"Well, he goes around the savannah and he meets some zebras but they won't play with him either because he doesn't have any stripes."

"Let me guess. He paints stripes all over himself."

"Yup. Only it rains and they wash off and this time the zebras laugh at him. Then he meets some giraffes but they won't play with him because he isn't tall like a giraffe. So he ties sticks to his legs to make stilts but he loses his balance and falls on his ass to the laughter of the giraffes. He slinks away home in defeat when he trips over an alligator named Steve."

"Steve the Alligator."

Bella smiles again. "Yes, Steve. Don't hate on the name. Steve is a very noble name for an alligator."

"Of course it is."

"Any who, Steve asks Hamilton why he is so sad. Hamilton is shocked. Steve is the first animal that didn't immediately say something about his purple color. Hamilton explains how he has been trying to make friends and how he tried to conform to each of the animals' expectations so they would play with him. Steve tells Hamilton that a true friend accepts you for who you are and wouldn't expect you to change."

I smiled at the simple message. Maybe that was why it was so easy for Bella to accept me and my family when we first met. Bella didn't expect others to change.

"So Steve and Hamilton become friends?" I asked as we strolled past the hippo enclosure.

"Yes and Steve shows Hamilton the best watering holes around. One day the animals that wouldn't play with him see how much fun he and Steve are having in the water and they ask to join in and play with them. He could have made conditions but instead he invites them in and they all have a good time despite all their species differences."

That explained why she was so accepting of others. He stared at her as she looked at the lions. "Beautiful," he said in a whisper.

Bella nodded her head as she mistook my comment as directed at the two big cats snoozing on a rock. "I know. They are so majestic."

I didn't correct her.

I took her hand, gave it a gentle squeeze and we continued down the lit path. We passed the elephants and then finally made it to the center of the zoo. Central Plaza was set up with a bar and a catering stand. There was a roofed pavilion that looked like a gift shop during normal hours but was set up with cloth covered rectangle tables with goods and clipboards on top. The outside walk way area was set up in sections. There was a stage and a dance floor in front of the stage. A band was playing what could best be described as instrumental versions of popular tunes like you would hear on an elevator. Scattered throughout the rest of the area were high top tables covered with white table cloths a flickering candles in the center.

Waiters walked around with trays passing out drinks and hors d'oeuvres to the many fancy dressed guests. I found us an empty high top. I looked around at the various other patrons and noted we were probably the youngest couple there. A woman in a low cut black dress on the arm of grey haired gentleman gave me a sultry look. I ignored her and then caught the eye of portly man in his 50's. He quickly excused himself from the gentleman with the black gowned trophy date and he walked our way.

"Mr. Cullen! We're so happy you could attend." I turned to Mr. Abbott and could see him eying Bella with some curiosity.

"Mr. Abbott, I would like to introduce you to Miss Bella Swan. Bella, this is Mr. Abbott, he is the Chair of the Zoo's charitable support foundation."

"Miss Swan, it's a pleasure to meet you," Mr. Abbott took Bella's hand between both of his and held on a bit longer than I thought was necessary. _Go find your own girl, Abbott, this one is mine._ I was just about to pull her arm away and possibly pull his off and club him with it when a waiter in a red jacket came around with a tray of wine. Mr. Abbott had no choice but to let Bella's hand go when I handed a wine glass to Bella and took one for myself as a prop.

The waiter said, "I'm sorry, Sir. Can I see some ID?"

Mr. Abbott looked mortified.

"Harold that won't be necessary." The waiter walked away. ' _Sheesh, I do what they tell me and I get my ass handed to me. I hate this job. I hate these rich, entitled idiots.'_

"I'm so sorry Mr. Cullen. Please accept my apologies."

I waved off his apology. "I'm sure he was only doing his job. I hope the fund raiser is going well."

"The place looks amazing," Bella added.

Mr. Abbott looked pleased with himself. Like he had personally hung the twinkle lights and the decorations. ' _If only I were 20 years younger,'_ I heard him think wistfully. _Right. Like I would let you have a chance._ This is like bloody High School all over again. Bella, of course, was oblivious to the attention. She just kept looking around enjoying the ambiance.

Mr. Abbott took one last look at Bella, sighed in regret and turned back to me, "We can't thank you enough for your family's support. With your foundation's donation, we were already more than half way to our goal before this event even started."

"We were happy to support such a worthy cause."

"Foundation?" Bella questioned softly as Mr. Abbott greeted a passing guest.

"One of them."

Mr. Abbott introduced us to other donors. I watched Bella as she interacted with the older couple. She was a natural. People gravitated toward her. She was so much more confident now than when we were in school in Forks. One of the wives of a President of a local bank told her about her daughter's ambition to be a teacher. This started an animated conversation with Bella until the music started and the emcee of the event invited the guests to dance.

I took Bella's hand and walked her to the dance floor. I was so excited to have an excuse to hold her. I pulled her close and we started to move to the music. This dance had none of the awkwardness of when we were in high school. Someone had been practicing. I tried to quash the jealousy and asked her about her conversation with the bank President's wife.

"I've been toying between an English Lit degree and a teaching degree."

"I had no idea you wanted to be a teacher. I thought you hated high school."

She smiled shyly at me. "It had its moments."

I pulled her closer. I could feel a little shiver go through her. "Cold?"

She shook her head.

"So a teacher?" I prompted.

"As I mentioned, I spent a lot of time at the reservation after you and your family left. I got involved in the reservation school tutoring program. I really enjoyed it. I loved working with the kids." A shadow crossed her face for a moment. "I was sorry when I had to stop."

"Why did you have to stop?"

She looked over my shoulder for a moment. "They didn't need my help anymore," she said sadly. She seemed to shake off the melancholy a minute later and said, "It all worked out. It was only a few months later that Leah and I left for Jacksonville."

Again, I felt like I was missing part of the story. I didn't push. I wanted her to enjoy tonight and be in the moment with me. I didn't want her to remember Forks and my part in her sad memories. I quickly changed the subject and she laughed as I twirled her and then led her into a dip.

We danced and spoke about some inconsequential current events. Neither of us wanted to bring up a subject that would cast a pall over the evening.

The music ended and the emcee came to the stage again. He announced that the silent auction would begin and everyone had a final thirty minutes to look over the items and update their bids.

I took Bella's hand and suggested, "Let's go see what's up for bid." She nodded and we walked into the Pavilion. We wandered around the tables. Some contained the actual items like a high-end men's watch, a diamond pendent, the latest smart phone and tablets. Some were a poster of the items like a trip to a Hawaiian resort, driving a Formula I race car, etc.

Bella stopped suddenly. "Oh, look! A first edition Jane Austin." Bella pointed excitedly.

She smiled at me and then strolled down the table to read the remaining placards. I laughed to myself as I saw what caught her attention and what she completely passed over without a second look. The first edition Jane Austin she looked at greedily. The diamond necklace, not even a second glance.

When she wasn't looking I grabbed the clipboards to place some bids.

After we saw all the items up for auction, Bella and I went back to our high top. She sipped her wine and asked, "How did your family become a sponsor?"

"Pure selfishness."

"What do you mean?"

"Animals are our food source. The research they do here means we have more chance of ensuring that animals will be around in the future. Ergo we will be able to feed ourselves."

"Somehow, I think it is a bit more than just ensuring you don't starve."

I shrugged. "We support animal breading and animal research all around the world. Carlisle and Jasper keep up with the science and one of us takes a turn at running the foundations that provide charitable donations to Universities, labs, zoos and preserves around the world."

"Well, I'm glad. Too many charitable donations are based on corporate long-term greed. I'm sure much of this would not be possible without people like you."

Just then the emcee said the final bids were in and the auction results would be announced. The bank President and his wife won the Hawaiian resort trip. The trophy girlfriend of the ambulance chaser walked away with the diamond pendant.

"The next item for bid was the naming rights for our next baby hippo."

Bella looked at me, "I didn't see that one."

"I have to tell you that something unusual happened with this item," the emcee continued. "First our winner wishes to remain anonymous. Second, he asked for the naming rights of not just the next baby hippo but the next female and next male hippo. In exchange he has agreed to match all funds raised tonight." The audience clapped.

"Mr. Abbott has agreed to the request and is happy to announce that the first male calf will be called Hamilton and the next female calf will be called Bella." Bella gasped in surprise and then laughed in delight at the names. "Let's give our mystery donor a big round of applause for their extreme generosity. Thanks to this bid and everyone else's kindness, we were able to meet our goal for the polar bear enclosure with quite a bit extra for other animal enclosure improvements and research."

The elegantly dressed men and women applauded again. Bella smiled at me as the presentation ended. "You didn't have to do that," she said softly.

"I know. But now you will have your own Hamilton that you can visit."

"Thank you. That was really sweet."

Mr. Abbott interrupted the moment with his profuse thanks in helping them exceed their goals. I brushed off his gushing and told him we were happy to support such a worthy cause but needed to leave. Mr. Abbott tried to shake Bella's hand again, but I grabbed it and said our goodbyes. He was too handsy for my taste. We made our way to the exit and the valet reluctantly turned over the R8 to me.

I drove Bella home. We were both quiet on the ride home. I walked her up the stairs and we stood awkwardly in front of her door. "Thank you for accompanying me this evening."

She stood on tip toe and kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you. I had a great time and loved the Hamilton gift. That was really sweet."

My cheek tingled from where her lips touched. Could I grab her and really give her a kiss? _No, she needs time to forgive you. Take it slow. Don't blow this by rushing her._

Suddenly, Bella launched herself in my arms and kissed me on the lips. So much for taking it slow. I threw caution to the wind and my tongue caressed her outer lips lightly. I could taste the sweetness of her lips and it made me hunger for more. She groaned and my body responded like any other seventeen-year-old boy would. I trailed my lips down to her neck. I could feel the pulse of her heartbeat and could hear the rush of her blood. I inhaled her intoxicating scent. It wasn't her blood that I craved at that moment.

Unexpectedly, she pulled away. She looked me in the eye and gave me a sweet smile. "Thanks for a wonderful evening." The next thing I knew I was standing alone on her doorstep staring at the door she just closed in my face. _Okay, then._ I stood there for a moment not sure what to do. I finally said goodnight to the closed door and made my way to the car.

All in all, not a bad start I thought.

 **A/N** – the Hamilton story is an original work of fiction that my niece wrote as a children's book and I illustrated for her for a school project of hers. The pygmy hippo theft plan is still something we've been working on. I took my niece to see the pygmy hippos at my local zoo and we spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out how we could sneak one out and keep it at my parents pool. If you hear that one has gone missing, you will know we finally succeeded.


	26. Chapter 26 - What Did I Miss

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG **(T)**

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. They meet again when Bella goes off to college.

 **A/N:** Thanks for all the new followers and thank you to everyone that took the time to post a review on the last chapter.

 **Chapter 26 – What Did I Miss**

EPOV:

The family was waiting for me when I got home. They tried to look like they weren't but I knew them too well to not see through their overly casual poses. Emmett and Jasper were in front of the TV playing a video game as usual but I could tell the game had just started. Esme looked like she was going over architectural drawings but I could see the drawings were of a project she had completed ten years ago. Alice was the worst. She was practically vibrating like a chihuahua.

"Well?"

"I think it went well."

Emmett threw down his controller. "Well? It went well? A board meeting goes well. A colonoscopy goes well. Your date should have been hot. Do we need to have "the talk" again?"

I rolled my eyes at his antics.

I told them about the evening.

"So why are you home so early? Shouldn't you be showing her what a great time you had? _"_

"Don't be crass, Emmett. I respect her."

"I keep telling you, Dude. That girl wants less respect and more Little Edward." Rose slapped Emmett up side the back of his head. "Babe!"

Rosalie rolled her eyes at Emmett but said, ' _I hate to agree with the idiot but I don't think he is totally wrong.'_

"I appreciate the feedback but I need to hunt."

"Do you want some company?" Kate asked. Kate and Callum had come over before I left for my date with Bella. Callum had wanted to talk to Esme about some design programs he was thinking of looking into and Kate had decided to help Alice torment me as I counted down the moments until I could pick up Bella. Tanya had been missing the whole day.

"No, thanks. I think I want some time to myself."

I headed into the mountains. I filled up on deer for lack of better game. Where was a mountain lion when you needed one?

I ran back to the house after I gave up on finding something more satisfying. The truth was nothing was really going to satisfy me until I was with Bella again. Tanya stopped me outside just as I was entering the main house. I was so concentrated on going over the evening in my mind I didn't hear Tanya until it was too late.

 _'The human distracts you yet again. Your lucky it was me and not someone that meant you harm.'_

"What do you want Tanya?"

"You know what I want." She stepped in front of me and placed her hand on my chest.

"It's not going to happen," I said as stepped back so her hand would drop.

"It almost happened." She stepped forward again.

"That was a mistake." I dodged away from her but she was persistent.

"I'm better for you than she could ever be. I can be your equal."

"Tanya, please don't make me say it again. I don't want to hurt you."

This time she grabbed me upper arm. "But you would be with me if she hadn't showed up here."

I shrugged away her hand. "Tanya, even if she had never come back, I still wouldn't have been with you."

"That's not true. I've been there for you the last few years. You've enjoyed my company. You kissed me. You touched me. You were finally seeing what it could be like if we were together."

"Tanya, it was one kiss and it was a mistake." I was embarrassed at that moment of weakness and had been making excuses for Tanya and her actions with Bella since because of it.

"What was a mistake was you stopping. Always the gentleman. I'm centuries older than you yet I don't understand your hang up with Victorian morals. If you had given me more time I could have shown you just how good I could have made it for you. You could never have that with your breakable human."

She made another step toward me. I was tired of this dance. I held my hand out and signaled for her to stop.

"I made a mistake. I'm sorry if I gave you a mixed message but Tanya. I'm in love with Bella. Maybe we need some time apart. Some time to remember our friendship."

"You still don't get it. I don't want your insipid friendship. I want you as my mate."

"Bella is my mate. I've never had those feelings for you."

"No! Edward, if she were your mate you would have changed her rather than risk losing her." She paused for a moment as if to collect herself. Then she said somewhat menacingly, "After all, you know how fragile a human life is. It would be a shame if something happened to her."

Edward snarled at her. "Enough! That sounds awfully close to a threat. I've had enough of you. I tried to overlook your insinuations to Bella because of my poor past actions. Yes, she told me what you said and if she hadn't given me a second chance I would have never forgiven you for the trouble you have caused. I have put up with your aggressive pursuit for years. I have been polite for the sake of our families but enough is enough. I think you need to leave."

Esme gasped. I realized we had an audience. Carlisle, Esme, Kate and the rest of the family had come out to see what all the yelling was about.

Tanya snarled oblivious to our audience, "Your right. Maybe I should leave." Then she said slyly, "Maybe it is time to visit Eleazer and Carmen in Volterra. Wouldn't it be a shame if Aro were to ask to touch my hand while I was there? All sorts of secrets might come out."

"Are you trying to blackmail me? Do you think your threat of exposing us to the Volturi will make me want you or want to be with you? Right now I find you repulsive."

"Tanya!" Kate exclaimed in anger. "What the hell?"

Tanya finally saw what I had and realized they had overhead what she said. She growled and stormed away.

"Edward, I'm so sorry. Let me talk to her. You know we would never tell your secrets. Tanya is just hurt. She isn't used to a man turning her down. She has to learn that she can't have everything she wants. Unfortunately, this has been a long time coming."

Carlisle stepped up. "Please take care of it Kate. You know the consequences of her going to the Volturi could be dire for all of us."

Kate nodded and she and Callum followed in Tanya's wake.

 _'Are you alright?'_ Carlisle silently asked me. I nodded. ' _Let Kate talk to Tanya. Then we will all sit down together and work this out.'_ I nodded again and Carlisle and the rest of the family started to go back in the house.

"Alice, wait."

Alice held back.

"Can you help me with something?"

"Of course."

"I need to find something by morning."

Alice thought for a moment and then smiled.

"How do you feel about a little B&E?"

XXXXX

BPOV

"Bella! Get your butt out of bed! You just received a delivery from your sparkly friend I suspect."

I walked out of my room wiping the sleep from my eyes, "What are you yelling about?"

"It seems someone had a nice time last night." Leah pointed to the bouquet of freesias and peonies in a beautiful cut crystal vase. I smelled the flowers. They were lovely. Beside the bouquet was a beautifully wrapped package.

"I'll give him credit. He certainly has good taste."

I had to agree.

"What's in the box?"

"I don't know." I ripped into the wrapping paper and then opened the lid off a red box. I gave a laugh and pulled out a plush purple stuffed hippo.

Leah looked at the stuffed animal dubiously, "Got to say, I was expecting jewelry."

I squeezed the plush hippo to my chest. "This is much better than jewelry."

"You are an odd duck, Swan."

I just giggled and then saw there was a note in the box. I recognized Edwards elegant penmanship. I read aloud, " _I hope this hippo will be as pleasant a reminder as the last one of a wonderful trip to the zoo with someone that loves you. To new beginnings, Edward_."

"He took you to the zoo? What? Did he want to catch a snack?"

I laughed and then explained about the fund raiser and the auction.

"He named a hippo after you? Nothing says romance like buying the naming rights to a hippo. So you had a good time?"

"I did. I really did."

"So, what is next?"

"I don't know."

"But you are going to give him a second chance?"

I hugged the hippo again. "I think I am."

Leah sighed.

"What did you end up doing last night? I noticed you weren't home when I came in."

"Well, after you left a certain a certain gentleman caller came-a-knocking."

"Would that be Luke?"

"Why, I do believe it was."

"For less than a year in Florida, you picked up quite the southern drawl."

Leah laughed and batted her eyes like a southern belle. "Luke invited me to a frat party. When the party wound down we were having such a nice time together he suggested we get a bite to eat. Pancakes taste so much better at 2:00 am. We found an all-night diner near campus. It was a riot. A couple of the sororities and fraternities had their pledges show up in their jammies, bed head and no makeup to haze them and make them sing their fraternity and sorority songs."

"So you like him?"

"I do."

"And you're going to give him a chance?"

She smiled at the similar wording, "Yes, I think I am." We both looked at each other and laughed. "Well this should be interesting."

xxxx

Monday morning Leah and I walked to campus and stopped for some coffee before class.

"So, what did your Mom have to say this morning?"

"Everything is going well. She had a check up on Friday and the doctor said everything looked fine but she should still take it easy since she was considered a geriatric pregnancy."

"Wow. That's harsh."

Before we could finish the conversation Alice bounced up to us and sang. "Bella, I believe your Birthday is coming up this Thursday."

Speaking of geriatric. Stupid vampire memory. Another year older. What really bothered me was the widening age gap between Edward and I.

"We have to plan something wonderful to commemorate it," Alice said with some excitement.

"Really? How did that work out last time?" Leah said with some sarcasm. "After that debacle do you really think you should plan anything for Bella's Birthday?"

Alice looked a bit abashed.

"Granted the last time was not my finest hour but I really think I can plan something that won't end in murder, misunderstanding or mayhem."

Leah looked skeptical.

I tried to diffuse the situation. "Look guys, I really don't want a fuss."

As usual, Alice ignored me. "Bella, it's your 21st. That is a milestone. You can let it pass by without some kind of celebration."

"Tell you what. Why don't you let me take a pass at planning something," Leah said. At first I felt relieved. Surely, Leah could keep Alice under control. Alice didn't look happy. Leah tried to reassure her. "I promise I'll come up with something good to commemorate Bella's 21st."

Alice gave Leah the sad eyes and I knew no good would come from this.

"Look, how about we work together."

Where the hell was the fierce wolf? The petite vampire gave her one pouty face and Leah had folded like a deck of cards. .

Alice's expression brightened and she started to bounce in excitement, "Yeah. I have lots of ideas on themes!"

"Themes!?" I exclaimed with trepidation.

"Bella, leave it to us. This is going to be epic!" Alice said as she pulled Leah away. Leah looked backed at me and shrugged and then let herself be dragged off to strategize with the little manipulator.

"But I don't want epic," I whined to Alice's and Leah's backs as they walked away. Alice didn't even bother to turn around. She just raised her hand in a waive that either indicated goodbye or a dismissal of my protests.

I shook my head. "This is not going to end well for me."

Xxxx

Edward was waiting for me outside my classroom when Professor Johnson finally let us out of _Imaginative Writing: Fiction._ I was lost in thought on the writing assignment he assigned when Edward walked up to me, kissed my cheek and took my book bag from me to carry.

"Thank you."

Some girls in my class saw Edward, looked at me and I thought I heard the tall blond say to her companion, "Lucky, bitch." I knew I was blushing.

"How was class?" Edward asked as he walked beside me.

We spoke Sunday night but this was the first time I had seen him since our date. I called the morning after to thank him for the flowers and the hippo. We spoke for hours on the phone. It was nice and normal. He seemed to want to do some of the customary dating things that we had skipped the first time around.

"Good. We have to write three pieces of fiction that will be critiqued by the class."

"What is the first subject?"

"Loss."

Edward was silent for a moment.

"I didn't know you were interested in writing."

"I've always liked to read so I thought I would take a pass at the other side." I didn't want to tell him that I started to write after he left. It began with emails to Alice. At first, they were real emails to Alice pleading with her to contact me. When those bounced back, they became therapy. I continued to write to her email address to tell her about my loneliness and unhappiness. Eventually, I wrote to her about Jacob. I told her how at first he helped me through the darkness, then became a friend and then made a place for himself in my heart. I wrote about Charlie' relationship with Sue. Finally, I told her about Jacob's betrayal. I found that writing down my feelings helped mute the nightmares. The more I wrote them down the less strength they had in my dreams. I hadn't written anything since I was in the hospital after Victoria. I hadn't had the words to commit to paper. The pain and the loss were too deep.

"I would love to read what you write when you finish."

I shuffled along. I didn't know if that was a good idea. The topic of this paper might be too painful to share with him. "We'll see. Let me write it first and if it's not too terrible maybe I'll let you read it.."

We walked companionably for a few minutes. I needed to go to the library to research a project that was due next week.

"So, your Birthday is Thursday."

Not him too.

"Yes. I think Leah and Alice are working together on finding a way to celebrate it."

"That should be interesting." He sounded as doubtful as I felt. "Could you and I do something alone, Wednesday?"

"Sure."

Edward smiled in relief. "Great."

Edward left for his next class and I walked into the library excited to see what Wednesday would bring.

Xxxx

"So what does Mr. Sparkles have in store for you?" Leah said as she watched me get ready.

Alice had dropped off a wrapped box Tuesday night with a note. It read, _Happy Birthday a little early. As Karl Lagerfeld said, "One is never over-dressed or under-dressed with a Little Black Dress." Enjoy tonight with my very lucky brother._

The box contained a beautiful black dress with a squared off neckline and a hemline that flared out from the waist and stopped just above the knee. The box included some designer jewelry and pumps that had Leah calling dibs for her next date.

"He didn't say. I wasn't sure what to wear until Alice left this. Based on the note, I still have no idea what we're doing but evidently I should be comfortable in this."

"She does take the guess work out of what to wear. You look amazing, by the way."

"Thanks. You don't think it's too short?" I asked as I looked at the dress in the mirror and tugged on the hem.

"No, I think it's just short enough."

Maybe I should wear tights with this, I thought. The phone rang and Leah answered it.

"Alice said don't even think of wearing tights with that dress. She said put on the shoes and walk towards the door. Edward will knock in 5, 4, 3, 2.."

There was a knock at the front door.

I opened the door and Edward stood there holding a wrapped package.

I invited him in and he said, "Wow. You look incredible."

"You look pretty spectacular yourself."

He did. The black dress pants and tailored white shirt made him look like he stepped out of the pages of GQ.

"I know it won't be your birthday until midnight but I wanted to give this to you before we left. Happy Birthday, Bella."

I took the wrapped package. "You didn't have to get me anything."

"I wanted to. I hope you like it."

I carefully unwrapped the gift and gasped. Inside was the Jane Austen first edition from the auction at the zoo.

"Oh, Edward. You shouldn't have." I caressed the leather bound cover of the books. "This is too much."

"Bella, it's not nearly enough. Please take it. It should be enjoyed by someone that will really appreciate it."

I knew my refusal to accept gifts from him graciously had been a problem in the past. His gifts came from a place of love and I didn't want to make that mistake again. I gave the book one last caress and put it on my bookshelf. I walked up to Edward and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Thank you. I will cherish it."

Edward smiled. "You always surprise me. I thought you were going to make that a lot more difficult for me."

"Well, like I said. I've grown up a bit."

Edward nodded with a sad smile. I hadn't meant to remind him of our time apart. I just wanted him to know that I had grown more mature.

"Shall we go?"

"Lead on."

xxxxxx

I was surprised when Edward pulled up to a cream colored building with a dreary 70's architecture that took up a corner of a city block in what I knew was the Pearl District. Edward found street parking and quickly ran around the car to open my door. I looked around wondering what was our destination. I didn't see any signs for a restaurant that fit the dress code we were both sporting. I looked up at the cream building again. The sign read "Powell's Books".

I gave him a questioning look and he just grinned sheepishly. "With your love of books, I thought you might find this place interesting. I asked Leah if you had been here and she said you never mentioned it."

I was intrigued. "What is this place?"

"Come on. You have to see it to believe it." He took my hand and I shivered at his cold grip. Not because I was chilled but because I felt that little electric spark every time he touched me. He smiled at the obvious effect he had on me and held open the door to the store.

A young girl greeted us as we walked in, "Welcome to Powell's. Is this your first time here?"

Edward smiled politely at the young woman and she looked dazed for a moment. I wanted to say to her, _'I know!'_

"Yes, it is."

She stared at Edward until I cleared my throat and she finally recovered her composure. "Oh, well. Right. Here. This... this is a map of the store.

I looked a the map and then around what I could see of the store. "How big is this place?"

"We have over an acre of retail space here so it is easy to get lost. Use the map to navigate around. You'll see some meeting spots on the map that you can agree to find each other in case you get separated. Also, if you get thirsty or hungry there is a coffee shop over here." She said as she pointed to various spots on the map.

"Maybe you need to give me a sticker that says where to return me if lost."

"Oh, I'm not letting you out of my sight." He took my hand and led me further into the store as I gazed in awe at the number of books. "This place has nine rooms and takes up a complete city block. I thought you would like to see it because it has one of the largest selections of used and new books. They also carry rare books. In fact, your Jane Austin book came from this store."

"Wow."

I felt a bit over dressed at first but then I caught sight of a wide variety of patrons dressed from college grunge, to business casual and a few dressed up couples like Edward and I.

"Would you like to look around?"

I nodded intrigued by the selection of books, gifts and snacks the store had to offer per the map. I hoped I could make it through the place with the shoes that Alice insisted matched the dress.

We wandered through the various rooms. The place looked more stark and industrial than a traditional book store. One of the employees that we met along the way mentioned that the building actually started out as a used car dealership. The unadorned style continued until we reached the Rare Book Room. Then it could have been any quaint rare book store with dark wood shelving, throw rugs and antique furniture. They had autographed first editions and other collectibles that I drooled over. Edward finally had to drag me away with the excuse that it was time to "feed the human".

"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll come back soon so you can see the rooms we couldn't get to tonight. I just thought you might like to see a hidden gem that your new home has to offer."

"Thanks. I loved it. I would love to go back in some jeans and sneakers and really dig into all the rooms we missed. Did you see that they had a Hardy first edition!"

He smiled at my enthusiasm and walked to the car. We drove to a quaint Italian restaurant with a beautiful view of the river. The hostess sat us near the window and Edward ordered a bottle of wine.

"What if they card me? I'm not legal yet."

"Believe me, Bella. At these prices, they won't card us. Besides, in a few hours you will be legal."

That saddened me for a moment. I would be four years older than Edward was when he was turned. The gap would only widen. At some point we would look like older sister and younger brother, maybe mother and son and ultimately grandmother and grandson.

"Bella, stop. I know what you are thinking. Age doesn't mean anything."

"Edward, don't be ridiculous. Of course it does."

Before I could continue, the waiter came to take our orders. I asked for the veal picatta and Edward ordered some mushroom ravioli. I looked up from the menu in surprise. He just smirked and said, "You might like to try something else." It was a nod to our first quasi rescue/date in Port Angeles.

"You know that restaurant closed?"

"It did?"

I nodded a bit sad. "I used to pass it when I worked at a coffee shop in Port Angeles. It shut down about a year after you left Forks."

"You stopped working at Newtons?"

"I was sort of ... let go after you left."

"Why?"

"I had a hard time after you left. I lost interest in school, friends and work. I think Lauren referred to it as my Bella-zombie period. It didn't make for a good employee. The Newtons suggested I take a break until I felt better."

"Bella, I'm so sorry."

"I know. I understand you thought you were doing what was best for me but I wish you would have asked me what I wanted."

Again, we were interrupted by the waiter who came to pour the wine Edward had ordered. He asked me to taste the wine. It was delicious. I nodded to the waiter and poured the full glass for both of us. Once we were alone again, Edward picked up his glass.

"Bella, I'm sorry for the way I left. I'm sorry that my actions let me miss out on your last two birthdays. I'm so thankful that you are letting me spend this birthday with you." He held his glass up and said, "To you Bella, too many more birthdays together."

I nodded my head not really sure what he really meant by that but I clinked my glass against his. To my surprise he actually took a sip of the wine. He grimaced, but he swallowed it down.

"Tell me you are not going to carry this charade through to eating the raviolis?"

"I think I'll let you cover for me and just have you pick some from my plate." He grew serious again. "How long before things got better?"

"A while," I said slowly. "But I was lucky. Some friends helped me forget my sadness for bits of time here and bits of time there until eventually I could get through a day without crying."

Edward looked upset so I asked him, "Are you sure you wouldn't like to talk about something else?"

"No, I have to understand what I put you through if I have any hope to gain your forgiveness."

"Edward, I already forgive you."

"You are too easy on me, Bella. I deserve your anger."

"I guess I'm tired of being angry and hurt. They are destructive emotions."

He brushed my hair gently behind my ears and then said, "That small scar on your forehead, that is new. What happened?"

I shook my head ruefully. "Ah, that came from my epic fail at learning to ride a motorcycle."

"What?! Charlie, let you on a motorcycle?"

"Not exactly. Let's just say I went through an extreme sports phase after you left."

"But why, Bella?"

"You'll think I'm crazy."

"Tell me."

"Because I knew you would disapprove."

"But motorcycles?"

"Yes. Charlie was at his wits end and he was threatening to send me to my Mother's in Jacksonville. I didn't want to leave Forks in case you came back." Edward looked guilty at those words.

"I knew I had to make more of an effort to act normal if I wanted to stay with Charlie." I continued. "At first I faked it. I tried to act like a normal girl and told Charlie I was going shopping with Jessica or to the movies with the gang from school. But being around them and trying to act normal was unbearable. Then one day I was driving home from school and saw Angela's brother putting two motorcycles out for garbage pickup. He said they didn't run anymore and his father wanted them out of the garage taking up space. So, I asked if I could take them. I convinced one of the guys at the reservation that was into cars to help rebuild them in exchange for one of the bikes."

"You helped rebuild two motorcycles?"

"Well, the division of labor actually turned into me being in charge of ordering the pizza and passing tools to Jacob while trying not to get in the way."

"Was that how you got close to Jacob Black?"

"Yes."

"Is that when you started to date him?"

Ah, we were going to talk about that. I took a sip of my wine to give myself time to think of how much I really wanted to say at this time.


	27. Chapter 27 - Dating History

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG **(T)**

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer: I** don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. They meet again when Bella goes off to college.

 **A/N:** This chapter is a little short but I wanted to get something out. Thanks for all the new followers and thank you to everyone that took the time to post a review the last chapter.

 **Chapter 27 – Dating History**

EPOV

"Is that when you started to date Jacob?" I knew I didn't want to hear the answer to this but I couldn't help myself after Lauren mentioned the boy's name.

"No, for the longest time we were just friends. He helped give me a purpose. He was a friend when everyone at school had written me off as a freak. He was always game to do something even things he knew we would get in trouble for in the end."

"But you did date?"

"Yes. Eventually we did date."

"Was it serious?"

"He wanted it to be."

I hated to hear this but what right did I have to feel angry or sad.

"And you?"

"At first, I was . . . grateful. He helped keep the nightmares away. He made sure the pack protected me and Charlie when Victoria became a threat. He let me be part of his family and friends when I felt so alone."

Each sentence was like a lash. I had done that to her. I had made her feel alone and unprotected.

'Eventually, gratitude changed to something more. He always encouraged me no matter how crazy my ideas were. Instead of pointing out the danger he would just show me how to do it safely and then be there if I needed help."

As opposed to me who was always ready to wrap her in bubble wrap.

"So you did something crazy besides riding a motorcycle?"

She blushed. "Cliff diving."

My nails made grooves in the underside of the table.

What the fuck! "Bella! Were you insane?"

"The guys on the reservation grew up cliff diving near the reservation. Jake had promised to take me but he and the pack were constantly on patrol for Victoria and he couldn't spend much time with me. I was lonely and I wanted to do something that made me feel alive. So I decided to try to cliff dive on my own. The guys had made it look easy, but the current was stronger than I expected."

More grooves were dug into the table.

"Luckily, the pack was nearby chasing Victoria."

She ate her dinner as if this was all not a big thing. She didn't see how tense each part of the story made me. She even casually snagged bites off my plate in between as she told me about Victoria's forays on to the reservation, the effect her constant presence had on the young boys and when she realized that Victoria kept coming back for her.

I needed a break and she had finished her meal. "Do you want to get out of here?" I asked abruptly. She seemed surprised but nodded.

I paid the bill and we left the restaurant for the nearby waterfront. I took her hand as we walked along the water as she continued her story.

"Jake saw me jump of the cliff and then struggle in the water. He saved me. Then he ripped me a new one telling me I had to stop doing crazy things because I felt hurt."

"Bella, I'm sorry."

"Edward, I'm not telling you this to hurt you. Just so you can understand how my relationship started with Jake and then changed."

"I'll never be happy that he was lucky enough to be with you but I am grateful that he helped you and kept you safe. So when did it become more than friends?"

"Jake and I had been spending a lot of time together building the bikes, studying and hanging out. Our fathers only encouraged us to spend more time together. I think they were imagining the wedding and grandkids before Jake even asked me out on a date. I guess it changed when I realized he needed me almost as much as I needed him. He had a hard time when he went through the change. When he saw I didn't see him any differently I guess I made him feel normal again. Like the teenage boy he was before the whole wolf thing."

That was her special gift. "Again, your ability to see the man instead of the monster."

She shrugged. "You're not a monster, Edward. You say I don't see myself clearly but you are the one that doesn't see themselves clearly. You are an extraordinary individual. You are kind, artistic, and caring."

"Thank you, Bella." I had to know one more thing. "When did it end?"

"Around a year ago." I was glad it had been over for a while but sad that they were together longer than Bella and I were together.

"Was it because you left Forks and went away to college? He didn't want to do a long distance relationship?"

We had stopped and Bella looked out over the water. She smiled sadly. "No, actually we broke up because he met someone else."

I was stunned. I couldn't believe he was such a fool. He had Bella and gave her up. Who could have been better? Then I was glad. Not for Bella's pain but that his loss was my gain. Like he took advantage of my stupidity, I was going to take advantage of his and get her to fall in love with me again.

I looked at my watch and realized it had just turned midnight. "Bella, it's midnight. Happy Birthday!"

She blushed and smiled. I leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. She groaned which only encouraged me to deepen the kiss. I was sorry my actions let Jake into her heart but was happy that his actions gave me a second chance.

Xxxxx

BPOV

"Come on, Bella! Suck it up. This is going to be fun."

I looked at her skeptically. Alice and Leah had agreed upon a 'girls only' birthday night out that would include a scavenger hunt list.

"None of us had the opportunity to do something like this, so take one for the team and let us live vicariously through you."

"Fine, but if this doesn't end well this is all on you."

Kate laughed at my warning. She agreed to go out with us. I heard that Tanya had left Portland to visit friends in Brazil.

"Sure. Sure." Alice straightened my 'Finally Legal' sash. "Now stand over there while I set up the camera for part one of the first item on the list, 'Get a before and after picture'."

I stood beside Rosalie and Leah and felt like a dowdy mouse in between the stunning bookends. Both were tall and beautiful but in the opposite way. Rosalie was a cool blond and classically beautiful, where as Leah was dark and exotic.

Alice ran over and yelled, "Say Cheese!"

We complied because when it came to Alice it was easier to just go along with her than try to fight her. We were meeting a couple of girls that Alice invited from our classes to join us at the first bar. Esme had passed on going with us, she had to attend a hospital function with Carlisle.

"Ok, here is everybody's scavenger hunt list. Do we have any questions?"

I looked down at the list:

 _Take a before and after picture_

 _Get a stranger to buy you a drink_

 _Drink every time someone says Happy Birthday_

 _Get a picture with every bouncer_

 _Post 21 snapchats to My Story._

 _Do a body shot off a hot guy or a hot bartender_

 _Do a blow job shot_

 _Get a guy to give up his boxers or school baseball hat_

 _Get 21 kisses on the cheek_

 _Get an entire bar to sing Happy Birthday_

I started to say something and Alice cut me off, "Alrighty, then .. since no one has any questions let's go." I tried again and Alice ignored me again.

"Alice, I'm not sure this is such a good idea. Maybe we should go with you guys." Edward looked at Jasper and Emmett for support. They both kept conspicuously silent. They knew better than to go against their wives.

"Edward, we agreed that since you had her last night the girls and I would have her tonight."

Alice said that the guys were going to a hunt for bear or something. I was kind of glad they weren't coming along. Edward hadn't probed as deeply as I had expected about the break up with Jake last night. I knew I would have to tell him everything eventually but it was glad he had let it go when he did. I wanted to focus on now not the past. I had such a great time last night. I liked how things were going.

"No, Alice, _we_ didn't agree. You told us what was going to happen."

She airily waived off his comment, "Tomato -tamato."

Edward shook his head.

"Edward, we both know that if you came along you would be a kill joy. Turning twenty-one is a rite of passage. You always said you wanted Bella to experience the normal human things so we'll make sure she does."

Edward opened his mouth again but Alice shut him down. "Live with it Edward. Don't worry we'll take care of her."

Famous last words.

Xxxxx

We were on bar number three and two thirds through the scavenger hunt list when we ran into Lauren Mallory. I was a little worse for wear after the number of shots that Rosalie and Alice kept buying me. I had to say that it made getting the boxer shorts off of a frat boy in the last bar a lot easier. It was amazing how easy it was to get boys to do things if you wear a sexy dress and tell them it's your birthday.

We left a bar that Luke and his frat brothers were at. They took care of number ten on the list with an embarrassing serenade of happy birthday. They also took care of the twenty-one kisses. Leah gave him a kiss for his assistance and told him we were on to the next bar.

I had to take a human moment. The last shot had me dancing in line waiting for the ladies' room. I giggled. _Blow job._ I thought I was going to die of embarrassment when I had to order the shot from the bartender. I could still taste the butterscotch. Hmmm. Yum. Alice made me take the shot off the bar with my hands behind my back and taking the shot glass in my mouth and lifting my head until I could shoot the shot back. The other girls had egged me on with claps and chants of 'drink, drink, drink'.

Leah wanted me to take it off the bartender but Rosalie said that if Edward saw that in one of their thoughts he would lose it.

"Bella! What a surprise." Lauren said in that drawling voice that was like nails on a chalkboard. She saw the tiara and sash and exclaimed, "OMG it's your birthday! You should have called. I know you don't have many friends and I could have gathered a few girls so you wouldn't have to spend it alone."

Leah had accompanied me to the bathroom and was waiting on line beside me. I looked at Leah and then Lauren questioningly. "I'm not alone."

Lauren looked around and then realized I was talking about Leah. She looked from me to Leah expectantly.

Was she kidding me? Forks had like less than four thousand residents. How could Lauren not know Leah? I sighed, "Leah, this is Lauren Mallory from Forks. Lauren, Leah is from LaPush."

"Ahhhh…Lauren," Leah drawled out. "I've heard your name before."

Lauren preened. "Well, I was the Forks' homecoming queen."

"No, that wasn't it. Oh ... yeah, now I remember. Didn't I see you out at the reservation a few times with Paul Lahote."

"I don't think so."

Lauren tilted her head. "Are you sure you don't know Paul? I'm almost sure he mentioned to my brother Seth some townie that wouldn't take a brush off after a hook up. I could have sworn he bragged that she was some wannabe model and her name was Lauren."

Snap! I would have to get that story out of Leah when we were alone. Paul was a notorious hound and it didn't look like it ended well with Lauren based on her expression. She covered it up by saying, "I'm sure they must have been talking about someone else." Then she tried to divert the conversation by saying. "So is Edward here with you?"

"No, just Alice and Rosalie. Girls night and all that."

"So what is it between you two? Rebounding from that guy from the reservation? Or just rekindling a high school romance?"

"Just reconnecting with old friends."

"Friends? Right!" Lauren smirked. "Well, I wish I could stay and chat but I've got a hot date at the Copper Monkey."

Leah sniffed a few times as she walked away. "Did you smell sulfur? I swear I smelled sulfur."

I had to laugh at that. "Well, if she is not the devil, she certainly has him on speed dial."

xxx

I was so hung over and so not ready to do a group project meeting. I dragged myself to the library and walked towards the stacks. A loud voice called my name and made the pounding in my head worse. Damn Alice and Leah.

John waived excitedly and yelled my name. "Bella, over here!"

I raised my hand to indicate I heard him and to prevent him from making the bad noises. I gingerly made my way to the group that were seated in some chairs and a couch near the window off of the stacks. Bright light! I put my hand over my eyes to cut the glare.

"Bella, you look like shit. Did you partake of the Thursday night unofficial start of the weekend?"

I winced, "Not my fault. An evil pixie and her henchwoman dragged me out last night for my 21st birthday."

"Happy Birthday!" Everyone quickly said.

"Too loud!" The others just laughed at my pain. I sucked it up and said, "What did I miss?"

A cute red head named Lisa replied, "We were just talking about the girl that was murdered last night!"

"What?"

"It's all over the news and in the papers. They found the body of a student this morning."

"I heard she was missing for a couple of days but the campus police wouldn't take the report until the forty-eight hour waiting period was over." Janet, a transfer student like myself, said.

"Why not?"

"Because of that fiasco with that girl that really took off with her boyfriend. What was her name? Missy?"

"Look, I feel bad for this girl, but if I don't pass this class I'm going to be dead." The others in the group groaned and threw pens and paper balls at him.

"Dude, have some respect."

"Sorry. I don't mean to trivialize this but can we just work out who is doing what with this project because I have a class I have to get to soon," John said.

We divvied up assignments and agreed to meet next Tuesday for a progress update.

Lisa walked with me to exit, "It's scary isn't it? I come from a small town in Wisconsin. I don't think there has been a murder there in twenty years. I heard you are from a small town too. So I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.'

I wondered what she would think if I told her how many hikers disappeared near Forks. Something out of the National average I'm sure.

"Yes, I know what you mean."

The Darth Vader theme music played from my purse. "Sorry, that's my Dad," I said as I searched in my bag for my cell phone.

"Darth Vader?"

"A joke by my step-brother," I said as I found the phone. I left my phone untended when Seth helped Charlie move Leah and I into the new apartment. The next time Charlie called me I found the Darth Vader theme music for Charlie's ring tone. Periodically, I would discover another ring tone he had set up for various friends and family. Seth's ringtone was "Li'l Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs. It cracked me up every time.

"Hi, Dad. Two calls in two days. What's up?"

"Hi, Bells. I hope you had a nice birthday. Did the girls show you a good time?"

"They were great."

"I'm glad. Bella, I'm calling because I just saw an alert come over the wire about a body of a girl being found on your campus this morning. I wanted to check on you and Leah."

"We're fine. I just heard about it myself."

"Sue and I want to make sure you and Leah are being careful."

"We are, I promise."

"Well make sure neither of you are walking around campus alone at night. Do you hear me?"

"Of course, Dad."

xxxx

I walked into the apartment a few hours later. Leah was home cooking dinner. The first thing she said was, "Did you hear about the murder?"

"They were talking about it when I got to my group meeting. Did you get a call from Charlie?"

"No, but Mom called to check on us. Charlie called too?"

"Yeah, he wanted to make sure we were safe and being smart."

"I assume you didn't tell him about last night's adventure?"

"Charlie and I operate on a need to know basis. It's a detente of mutual omission. It works for us."

"Did he know any details about the girl they found?"

"No, but even if he did he wouldn't tell us unless it was something we would need to know to stay safe."

We ate dinner that night in front of the television but the news didn't off any real details. We checked all the locks on the windows and the doors. Especially the sliding glass door. Then we set the alarm before going to bed.


	28. Chapter 28 - I Have

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. They meet again when Bella goes off to college.

 **A/N:** Thanks for all the new followers and thank you to everyone that took the time to post a review the last chapter.

 **Chapter 28 – I Have**

BPOV

For the next two weeks Edward wined and dined me in between classes, papers and tests. Well I wined and dined, Edward watched and made sure I had a great time. We laughed, argued, agreed and shared quiet moments. In some ways it reminded me of the summer we spent together before my senior year. The one thing we didn't do was talk any more about the past or any of our issues. It was as if neither of us wanted to take a chance on ruining this new beginning.

After each date or study session, he checked the security system and made sure the apartment was safe. The murder on campus had everyone tense and scared for the first few days but the story took up less and less air time as there were no new leads and as bigger stories broke. People started to relax their guard. It was a campus full of kids that didn't think longer into the future than the next kegger. Frat parties resumed and women started to walk across campus by themselves at night again despite repeated warnings by the talking heads of the school.

I appreciated Edward's efforts to make sure I was safe but I hated how he left me at my door with a hug and a chaste kiss each time. I thought after the passion he showed on my birthday things would be different. Instead, he was reverting to how he treated me when we were in Forks. A whole lot of respect but not a lot of passion.

"What's wrong, Bella?" Leah said when we were walking to campus from the apartment.

"I don't know. I'm worried that nothing has really changed with Edward. He still treats me like I'm made of spun glass."

"Have you spoken to him?"

"No, he's been really sweet and I don't want to hurt his feelings by complaining. I think he has been doing his version of "courting" me. It's been nice. We kind of skipped this phase when we first started dating in Forks."

"So what's the problem?"

"Honestly, I'm not that seventeen-year old girl anymore. I want to feel like he wants me."

I didn't want Edward to treat me like a vestal virgin.

"Talk to him. Tell him how you feel."

"You're right. I know you're right." But I wasn't sure I was ready to have that conversation.

xxxx

Classes got tougher. Mid-terms had begun and the students in the library started to look frantic. I was taking a break from studying in the stacks and doing a bit of people watching. Lisa turned to me and said, "Some of these people look really frazzled. Watch this."

She dropped a book and at least twenty students popped up from their study cubicles like meerkats or whack-a-moles.

"Tell me that doesn't look like a scene from a cartoon when the dog comes to attention and yells 'squirrel'?"

I had seen that movie with Claire and I had to laugh. It was true. "All they needed was the cone of shame!"

Lisa's phone buzzed and she checked the screen. She sent a text and put the phone away in her bag.

"Sorry about that. My parents have been making me call or text them three times a day since that murder."

"I know what you mean. Charlie has Leah and I checking in at the end of each day."

"Charlie? Is that your brother?"

I laughed. "Sorry, no that is my Father's name."

"You call your father by his first name?"

"No, not to his face. It's more an internal dialogue designation. I think it started when my parents divorced and my Mom would talk about him. She never said 'your father'. It was always 'Charlie'. I guess I picked up on the habit."

"That's tough. My parents have been married over twenty years but I've always been shocked that they never divorced. I grew up with them constantly fighting. My family is Italian and in our family, the loudest wins the argument. If my Father said that the sky was blue my Mother would say, _'No, Anthony, the sky is aqua.'_ It is exhausting to be around them. That is why I picked a school so far away."

"Every couple argues."

"Not like my family. My Mother's motto is that there is no nit too small to pick."

I giggled. Renee was too busy looking for the next city, the next job or the next hobby to get nitpicky.

"Before I left for college I sat them down and told them if they ever thought of getting a divorce they had to do it before my freshman year of college or never."

"Seriously?"

"Absolutely. I had to put up with their years of arguing and if they were going to traumatize me with a divorce, I wanted the benefit. Do you know how much more student aid I would have been entitled to?"

"And what did they say?"

"They said they didn't know what I was talking about and that they got along great. The arguing was just their way of communicating. If that is communication then World War II would have been considered just another Saturday night at my house. I'm shocked that there are knives in their house and that one of them hasn't maimed or killed the other. Speaking of murder, did you hear any more on that girl?"

"Not since they released her name and picture on the news."

"I know. I saw that." She paused a moment and gave me a long look. "You know the news byte caught my attention because when they flashed the picture I thought she looked a little like you."

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

She grabbed her phone again and handed the phone to me when she found what she was looking for.

"Look at this. See, she had the same face shape. Same long brown hair. She even had your coloring."

"Well, so do almost half the girls on this campus."

"True." Lisa shrugged and then got back to why we were in the library. "Did that book have the information we needed for the project?"

I navigated to the file on my computer, copied the file to a portable drive and handed it to her. She loaded it and pointed to her screen. "Yeah, these are the notes that I took on the book that I think are pertinent to our thesis." We walked through the file and the project. Thoughts of the murdered student and any resemblance were forgotten.

Xxxxxx

Leah and I were walking back to the campus when we ran into Lauren again.

"Hey Bella! Hey….ah…Leah. Fancy seeing you guys so soon."

Leah muttered under her breath, "Twice in one week. Aren't _we_ the lucky ones?"

"Hi, Lauren."

"So, how did your Birthday turn out? You weren't too lonely, I hope?"

"It was great. The _girls_ were really nice and made sure I had a fun time."

"Sorry, I couldn't stick around that night. I had to meet up with my new boyfriend. I wanted to meet at the bar to show him off but he wants to keep it private for now."

Leah coughed, "Booty Call."

"What did you say?" Lauren asked suspiciously.

Leah smiled sweetly. "I said that's beautiful."

Lauren brightened. "Well, yes it is. I can't believe it took this place for us to meet. I mean I think he could be the one."

"That's really great Lauren. It's wonderful to see you so happy."

"Don't worry, Bella. I'm sure you'll find someone soon too."

I could see that irritated Leah. "Lauren, I'll be sure to tell Paul that he doesn't have to worry about you stalking him during Christmas break now that you have a new target."

"Well, I never!" She said as she stomped away.

"That's not what Paul said," Leah sing-songed to her retreating back.

XXXX

Thursday was a sunny day. Edward couldn't come to campus so I dropped off our class notes and writing assignment to his place. It was the first time I had seen his cottage. In many ways it was decorated similar to his room in Forks. There was a wall of shelves holding a music collection, books and keepsakes. To my surprise there was a picture of the two of us from the night of the prom on one of the shelves. I grimaced at the sight of the cast. It touched me that he kept the picture and displayed it in his private space.

I could feel his stare but I kept my back to him and skimmed further along the shelves. I found other pictures displayed. One was from the summer before senior year. Alice took it at a fair in Port Angeles. I smiled.

Edward came up behind me. "What are you smiling about?"

"Alice. Do you remember how she pouted when you refused to let me ride any of the rides?"

"She was crazy. Those rides were death traps. They were barely held together by bubblegum and bailing wire."

Always so protective.

"She told you she would have seen if there was going to be a mechanical failure."

"I wasn't going to put that much faith in her gift. I've seen all the Final Destination movies. Her gift isn't infallible. I could just see one child unexpectedly dropping their ice cream cone and setting of a chain of events that would have ended with someone decapitated."

"Dramatic much?" I teased.

"Not when it comes to your safety."

I moved to another section of the shelves. There was a silver frame with a picture that was taken from the time Edward took me to Seattle for a concert. The waiter at the restaurant I ate at after the show offered to take the photo. The picture captured the look of wonder and adoration on my face as I stared at Edward. I mourned that young starry-eyed girl. Just looking at that picture made me sad for the naïve girl that was gone forever.

The cottage was as large as Charlie's entire house. It was an open floor plan which only made the place look larger because of the vaulted ceilings.

I was surprised to see a bed. Why did he have a bed? The others had beds in their rooms but they were couples. He had never had one. Then a horrible thought occurred to me. Could it have been for Tanya? The thought of Edward and Tanya in that bed burned through my chest. I wanted to ask him but I was afraid of his answer.

I made myself look away and asked him about Tanya's sudden departure instead.

"Alice mentioned your family walked in on you and Tanya fighting. She said Tanya made some threats and then stormed off."

"As I have said before, Tanya has a problem with boundaries. We both agreed that it might be better if we all spent some time apart."

"Alice mentioned Brazil but are you worried that she might go to her sister in Volterra? Would she tell the Volturi that a human knows your secret?"

He frowned and ran a hand through his hair. "Carlisle and Kate don't think so. It puts her in as much risk as the rest of us."

"How do you know that Aro doesn't already know? You said that Eleazer and Carmen are in Volterra. Wouldn't he have touched one of their hands and known about me?"

"No, we didn't tell the Denali's that you knew what we were when we left Forks. They assumed we left because I was getting too close to you and didn't want to risk getting any closer. They would understand that because Kate and Tanya had relationships with human men and would often relocate when a relationship got too intense. The most Aro would ever find out from Elezer's memories is that I stayed with the Denali's once when I was fighting my instinct to kill a human whose blood called to me. He would find it diverting. He finds Carlisle's lifestyle odd, but amusing."

"I don't want to put you or your family in danger."

"Bella, don't worry. Most vampires try to maintain a low profile from the Volturi. Tanya has great survival instincts. The Volturi won't find out about you and if they did, we would protect you."

I couldn't help but worry that Tanya's bitterness could outweigh her self-interest.

xxxxxx

That Saturday I caught up with laundry and cleaned the apartment. I had torn apart my dresser and reorganized my clothes looking for my old bowling shirt. I still couldn't find it. I would have to call my Mom to see if I had left in Jacksonville. Leah was out shopping with Alice. I had offered Leah up as a sacrifice to Alice when she tried to drag me the shops. I claimed that I had a paper that I still had to write for early next week and they finally went without me.

I stopped scrubbing the stove when I heard a knock on the door. Following Charlie's safety instructions, I looked out the peephole before opening the door.

"Edward, what are you doing here? Did we have plans?"

"I heard you dodged Alice's shopping death march and thought you might like to take a break from your paper." He smiled for a moment. "If there really _is_ a paper...?"

"There really is a paper. You can tell because even cleaning bathrooms seemed a better alternative to starting at a blank Word page on my laptop. My place always looks spotless right before a big paper or test."

"Would you like to trade cleaning for a ride out of town?"

I had to admit I had been looking for an excuse, other than shopping, to procrastinate writing my paper. "What do you have in mind?"

He handed me a bag. "Here, you'll need these for where I would like to take you."

I looked inside the bag and saw hiking boots and a windbreaker. "And that would be…?"

"I thought we could take a hike to see the Multnomah Falls."

I had heard about the falls. Leah and I had even discussed visiting them. Then we both remembered my lack of coordination. "Are you sure that is such a good idea?"

"Don't worry. I'll be there to make sure you don't fall down any ravines or over the waterfalls."

"Ok, but you are going to have to explain to Charlie if this doesn't end well."

I popped into my room and pulled on some thick socks and a pair of jeans. I came out and sat on the couch to put on the new Danner hiking boots.

"Speaking of Charlie, how are he and Sue doing?" Edward asked as I tied the red laces of the boots.

I stood up and then walked around in the boots. They were really comfortable.

"Good. Leah spoke to Sue yesterday and she said that the doctor is happy with her stats and just wants her to take it easy or she'll be back on bed rest."

"Are you planning on visiting anytime soon?"

"I promised Charlie I would come home for Thanksgiving."

Edward didn't say anything about that plan. I wasn't sure how I felt about it but I knew I owed it to Charlie and Sue to come home. There were so many unresolved issues I didn't know if I was ready to tell Charlie that Edward was back in my life. Charlie would not take that news well.

The falls were about a forty minute drive outside of Portland towards Troutdale. We followed the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway and I had to admit that the landscape was breathtaking.

"This reminds me a lot of the mountains outside of Forks," I said as I looked at the passing scenery from the passenger window.

"It does. Do you ever miss Forks?"

"Sometimes. I really missed Washington when we were in Florida. You would have thought it would have been more of a culture shock for Leah since I had lived in Arizona. But Arizona is a dry heat and Florida is very hot and humid. Leah took to the sunshine more than I did. I wasn't sure I was going to be able to drag her to Oregon after she got used to Jacksonville. I didn't realize how much I had acclimated to the rain, the lush forests and the beautiful mists of this part of the country."

"You said you left Forks because you needed a change. It had to be more than a mere breakup?"

On a sigh, I said, "It was a combination of things. Things had ended badly with Jake. Things were strained between Billy and my father. I was on the receiving end of a lot of town gossip and pity. Then the pack destroyed Victoria so it was safe to leave Charlie. My Mom had been begging me to come visit her in Florida. It just seemed the right time."

He seemed satisfied with my skirted explanation. Edward parked the car in the park visitor parking lot and grabbed a backpack out of the trunk.

"Are you hungry?" He pointed to a building that was at the base of the hill. The waterfall could be seen in the distance behind the quaint grey stone building. "This was an old lodge that was converted into a gift shop and restaurant. Would you like a bite before we walk up to the falls?"

"It's beautiful. I'm good. I ate before you came over. Cooking is another way I avoid writing papers. The freezer is stocked with frozen lasagna right now. Why don't we just start walking while the weather holds out?"

The day was overcast enough to allow Edward freedom of movement but still unseasonably warm. Edward slung the bag over his shoulder and led the way. We walked past the lodge and climbed a series of steps until we came to an overlook used by tourists to take pictures of the waterfall. The waterfall cascaded in two drops from this view. I took a couple of pictures to show to Leah and send to Charlie and my Mom. We then continued to the next look out point.

"Why did Leah go with you to Florida?"

"Similar story. She had a bad break up with a guy. Only in her case, he was the alpha of the pack."

"I would think that would make them more compatible."

"I know. What made it more complicated was the fact that she and Sam dated before either of them went through the change. You would think that would make them even more compatible."

I wasn't sure how much I should tell him.

"Sam was a bit of a rebel and a hothead before Leah but he seemed to get his act together once they started to date. Sam was Leah's first love. Before he started to change, they even talked about possibly getting married one day."

"Then he started to get into trouble again. He began missing work. He became more aggressive and got into fights over the smallest slights. Everyone thought it was Sam going back to his old ways when, in fact, it was the wolf gene. It started with high fevers and uncontrollable fits of rage. He didn't know what was wrong and he was afraid that he was going to hurt someone. He started to isolate himself from everyone, even Leah. He disappeared for a week and Leah was frantic. I turned out that he had phased for the first time and he didn't know how to phase back. When he woke up in the forest back in his human form, he went to Old Quil hoping for answers. He grew up hearing the tribal legends. Old Quil and the other elders helped Sam understand what was happening to him, his new role as a guardian of the tribe and coping mechanisms on how to control the phasing. The elders swore him to secrecy which put a strain on his relationship with Leah. "

"Is that why they broke up?"

"No. One day, Leah's cousin from a nearby reservation came to visit. Sam took one look at Emily and that was it for Leah and Sam. In one look, she lost both a cousin she loved like a sister and the man she hoped would be her husband."

"That is tough. But if his feelings were that easy to change she is probably better off without him."

I wished it was that simple but I didn't want to tell him about imprinting. It would raise too many questions.

"Leah was the first female of the tribe to change into a wolf. The first time she phased she found out that the wolves share a mental telepathy or a pack mind."

"That would make sense as wolves hunt in packs so a shared communication link would make them function better as a fighting force." Edward speculated.

"Well it also meant that she got a mental replay of Sam's everyday life and deepening relationship with Emily. To make matters worse, Sam and the rest of the pack could tap into Leah's thoughts and feelings about Sam and Emily."

The path was slippery the closer we got to the falls. The mist and moisture made the cement slippery and I saw green slime on parts of the walkway. Edward caught me as I skidded on a piece of the slime in the path. He held me for a second, smiled and then took my hand as we continued down the path.

"As someone that can't turn off reading other people's thoughts I know hard that must have been for her."

"Mostly, it made her hostile and bitchy. She got tired of the pity and then the criticism. She couldn't control her thoughts and feelings and they got tired of what they thought of as a soap opera. Emily was pregnant when the pack destroyed Victoria. That was the tipping point for Leah and she told me she was going to Florida with me so she could also get some distance from her past and figure out her future."

"And did Florida help you figure those things out?" Edward asked as we walked across the large bridge in front of the upper part of the falls. I could see faint shadows of rainbows in front of the water. It was beautiful.

"I guess that is the million dollar question. As you can see, I figured out where I wanted to transfer."

"I'm sure you know I'm glad you transferred here."

"I still can't believe we ended up at the same school."

Edward looked at me in surprise. "Alice didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Edward explained Alice's and Emmett's role in us all ending up in the same place. I was touched. I thought they had abandoned me. It was comforting to know that they schemed to make Edward and I cross paths in the future so we might have a second chance.

"Crap! Now I'm going to have to tell Leah she was right. I'll have to watch her do the 'I told you so' dance? She said this was too much of a coincidence."

Edward threw an arm around my shoulder and gave me a light squeeze. "I think you should be more worried about the amount of time Alice and Leah are spending together. Think about what it will be like if those two team up to "help" you."

"I live in fear of that every day."

Xxxxx

EPOV

We walked along the falls and talked. It was a great afternoon. We hiked back to the car but I wanted to show Bella another place in the park. We drove over to another section of the park and climbed one of the trails. She was being a great sport about the whole thing. The mist had made her long hair curl and she looked so pretty she took my breath away. Well, she would if I had breath.

We left the trees to an open expanse of grass and a bubbling brook on the edge of the clearing. I hoped she saw what I had seen the first time I stumbled across this place.

"You see it don't you?"

She looked at the lush grass speckled with wildflowers. She turned to me with a shine of tears in her eyes. I wished I could have read her thoughts at that moment.

"It looks like our meadow," she whispered.

I nodded. She walked into the grassy clearing and I could see she was trying not to stomp on the flowers. She was such a gentle soul. The beauty of the surroundings was eclipsed by Bella's natural beauty.

"I came across this place once when I was hunting. This is the first time I've come back since. It hurt too much to come here alone and remember what it was like to be with you in our meadow. While this won't replace our meadow, I thought maybe we could make some new memories here."

"It's beautiful, Edward. I'm surprised there are still wild flowers in bloom so late in the year."

"I think there is a thermal spring that runs under this area and feeds into that creek over there. It seems to keep the ground warmer and stops the creek from freezing. You can see a difference in the fauna over here versus where we were by the falls."

She walked around the clearing, lost in thought, absently touching the tips of the yellow and pink wildflowers.

"You know I tried so hard to find our meadow after you left?"

"You did? Why?"

"The day you left me you said it would be as if you had never existed. I had a hard time after you left. I kept trying to contact Alice but my emails just got bounced back. You took all of my pictures, my mementos and no one talked about you. After a couple of months it felt like I had made you and your family up. I started to doubt my own sanity for a while. I wanted something tangible to confirm that it had really happened. I thought if I could find the meadow, I could let myself believe that you were real. That we were real and not my imagination."

I stared at her sad face. Each time I learned more about the time after I left her, I felt unworthy of this second chance. I had so much to make-up to her.

"So I asked Jake to take me hiking in between rebuilding the motorcycles."

"You took Jake there?"

I couldn't keep the hurt from my voice. The idea that child spent time in our special spot was like a knife to my chest.

"I didn't set out to take him to the meadow; to share it with him. I needed him."

I hated to hear that she needed him. I hated that I gave him the opportunity to mean something to her. Even if that was just someone to lean on.

"I had no other way to find the meadow. You know I had no sense of direction in the woods. After you left me that last day in Forks, I got so lost trying to follow your trail, Charlie had to send out a search party for me."

I was stunned at the thought of her lost and alone in the woods. I thought I was protecting her by leaving and all I did was put her in more danger.

"Bella, it didn't occur to me that you would get lost. I left you in view of your house. You should have been safe."

"You just pulled my world out from under me and you thought you left me safe?"

She was right. I should have thought about the emotional state that I left her in that day. I should have made sure she made it home safely even if she couldn't see me.

I could tell from her facial expression that she knew she had scored that point.

"You're right. I did everything wrong that day."

She took a moment, nodded and then continued her story. "Like I said, I needed Jake because I couldn't risk getting lost like that again and causing Charlie more worry. He had already threatened to send me to live with my Mother. Another search party would have had me on a plane. "

"How did you find it?"

"Jake and I had set up a grid system on a map and each weekend we went out we would eliminate an area. Then one week Jake stopped calling and coming around. Billy told Charlie and me that Jake had Mono and was too sick for visitors. After weeks of spending all our spare time together, I felt adrift again."

I hated that they got so close. It killed me that she became that dependent on the boy.

"I was desperate to find that connection to you so I decided to go into the woods by myself."

I remembered she had told us only part of the story when she had spoken to my family. I couldn't believe she had put herself in such danger just to find our meadow.

"Ironically, I stumbled across our meadow the same time Laurent stumbled across me. You know the rest of the story. The wolves saved the day and not too long after that I figured out Jake's secret."

"It wasn't mono."

She laughed ruefully. "No it wasn't Mono."

"Bella I don't think there are enough words to express how sorry I am for everything I put you through but I'll keep saying them. I'm sorry for the way I left you that day. It was cruel of me to take the pictures, the CD and the other gifts the way I did."

I had hidden them under her floorboard because I had wanted to leave a piece of myself near her. I had wanted some connection.

"I hate that you thought we knew you were in danger and didn't care enough to come back. I'm sorry that you had to rely on wolves to keep you alive. Will you ever be able to forgive me?"

"Edward, I understand why you thought you had to leave and I have forgiven you."

"But?"

"But .. let me ask you this?" She took a deep breath and then said in a rush, "Did you ever see me as an equal?"

I was floored by her question. "Of course I did."

Bella shook her head. "I don't think so. Maybe it was your age. Maybe it was my vulnerability. You never treated me as if I was equal in the relationship. You treated me almost paternally. Hell, even Charlie made me feel more independent and adult than you did. You made all the decisions with little input from me."

"No Bella, that isn't true."

"Really? If it isn't true, why didn't you talk to me about your concerns after what happened with Jasper? You just decided what you thought was best for me, lied to me and then left for my own good."

She was right. Maybe the way I had treated her was subconsciously influenced by our age and experience gap. Maybe I had seen her as a frail naïve seventeen-year old human. I had existed over one hundred years. I had seen and experienced things that she would never understand. I had witnessed two world wars, the end of the horse and buggy era, man going to the moon all the way to the break through of the nano-technology age. I had seen that the world had both human and supernatural monsters and I was one of them.

Bella continued. "Before you left, I was so grateful that someone like you wanted to be with someone like me that I deferred to what you wanted when I should have stood up for myself."

I protested, "Bella, I couldn't believe someone like you would be with me."

She ignored that. Why couldn't she see how special she was? Then her next words answered that question.

"You made me feel like a child. You made me feel like my feelings and opinions didn't matter. I have to take some responsibility because I kept quiet. I was grateful for any place in your life. When you left, I had to grow up. I may not have experienced as many years on this earth as you have but I am an adult now. I have earned the right to have a say in my own life and I expect you to treat me like a partner."

I could feel myself pulling at my hair. "In retrospect, I think you are right but I hope you will take into consideration my inexperience as a boyfriend. I'm not saying this excuses it, but please remember that you were my first relationship. Time passes but my kind are slow to change. I think I fell back on what relationships looked like when I was human. I took my cues from what I remembered of my parents. I should have treated you the way Carlisle treats Esme or how Jasper treats Alice. I'm not sure Emmett and Rosalie are the best role models to emulate."

That made her laugh. I loved her laugh.

"Bella, I'm sorry if I made you feel marginalized."

She nodded. "Edward, if there is any chance for us to have a future together you can't do that again. You have to treat me like we are equal partners in this relationship. I have to know that I have a say in the important things in what I hope will be our future."

I pulled her into my arms. She fit perfectly. "Agreed" I looked into her beautiful brown eyes. "Maybe Emmett isn't such a poor role model, after all. Emmett teases Rosalie on purpose because he thinks she is sexy when she is riled up. You are especially beautiful when you are assertive." And with that I kissed her. I wanted her to feel what I was feeling. I kissed her hoping she could taste my regret for the pain I caused her, my sadness for the time we missed and most of all my hope for a better future.

XXXX

BPOV

I was happy to get that off my chest. I felt closer to Edward and thought maybe this time we could make this work. We left the meadow to walk along the river when some animal rushed out of the brush. I jumped in surprise; lost my balance and the next thing I knew I was waiving my hands trying to regain my center of gravity. The ground near the river was soft and gave away. I was suddenly ass over teakettle in the river. I sputtered to my feet to see a laughing Edward holding a rabbit.

"Are you ok? I reached for a Bella but got a bunny instead."

I waded to the side of the river. Edward easily pulled me up to the firmer ground and I looked at the long eared, brown fur ball that made me all wet. He wiggled his nose and pedaled his back feet at me.

"He's awfully cute." A thought occurred to me. "You aren't going to eat him, are you?"

Edward raised an eyebrow at me. "Bella really, he'd hardly be an appetizer."

"Oh, thank goodness. It would be like you were eating the Easter Bunny or Thumper."

"Well we wouldn't want that image burned into your head." Edward carefully let the rabbit down. He twitched his nose at us and then he hopped away into a nearby bush.

"Bella, you are soaked through. I don't want you to catch a cold. There is a Bed & Breakfast near here. Let's get you dry and into a change of clothes."

"I don't have anything to change into."

"Don't worry. I have something in my backpack."

Twenty minutes later, we made it to the inn near the park. The woman behind the desk looked at my wet state with disdain. "May I help you?"

Edward took control of the situation. "We need a room."

The woman looked at me and then looked at Edward and then raised an eyebrow. Edward gave her one of his patented smiles and slapped down his credit cards. Her sour expression miraculously disappeared and she became especially quite obsequious when she saw the black color of the plastic. Minutes later Edward walked away with a key and extra towels.

The room was on the top floor. Edward took the old fashioned key and opened the wood door and we stepped into the room.

"Wow, this room is beautiful."

The room was actually quite romantic.

"It's the honeymoon suite." Ah, that explained it. "It was the only room they had available." He handed me a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt from his backpack.

I took the wet hiking boots off. "I'm so sorry I got the boots wet."

"Don't worry about it. They are made to get wet."

I peeled off the soaked socks and then reached for the button on my jeans. Edward stood up abruptly.

"I'll leave you to take a shower."

"Edward you don't have to leave."

I went into the bathroom, took off the rest of my clothes and climbed into the shower. The hot water felt incredible after squishing my way through the woods. I hoped I hadn't damaged his car seats with the muck on my jeans. I shampooed my hair with one of the hotel miniature courtesy bottles. I rinsed off the soap and let the hot water warm me. After I had steamed up the room, I turned off the water and grabbed a towel. I wiped off the foggy mirror with a hand towel. Two large brown eyes stared back at me. I shrugged. I had nothing with me to improve things.

I looked around the counter for the t-shirt and sweats and realized that I hadn't brought them into the bathroom with me. I wrapped the bath towel around my chest, took a deep breath and reached for the door knob.

Edward jumped up when I came out of the bathroom. He looked at me in the towel and froze.

"I'm sorry. I left the clothes out here."

Edward still didn't move. He looked like a statue.

The clothes were across the room on a desk. I needed to pass Edward to get to them. I slowly shuffled in front of him and tripped over one of my discarded boots. My towel dropped. He inhaled sharply and his eyes darkened.

In that moment I saw everything he normally hid so well. He wanted me. The hunger in his eyes mesmerized me for a moment. I saw that he wanted me and I certainly knew I wanted him. For once my clumsiness might have done some good.

I felt closer to him after our talk in the meadow. It made me feel bold so I acted on my impulse and straightened so he could see me before I slowly took a step towards him.

He inhaled again and I could see his fists clench.

I stood in front of him and slid my hand down his rock hard chest over his shirt. It should have seemed cold but the electricity that I felt sent a shock of warmth through my hand. When he didn't move, I stepped closer and laid a kiss on the exposed part of his chest. He groaned. It made me feel more daring. I kissed his chest again.

When he didn't stop me, I licked the base of his neck. He made a sound almost like a purr. That sound only encouraged me to more action. I stood on tip toes and kissed his lips. With lightning speed his hands grabbed my hips and pulled me flush to his lower body. This time I was the one to groan. My tongue darted out and skimmed his lips. He pulled me closer so all parts of our bodies were aligned. He deepened the kiss but made sure I had no exposure to his venom.

He pushed me away when I rubbed against his hard length.

"Bella, we have to stop," he groaned out.

I took a step forward again and pressed kisses along his jaw. "I don't want to stop."

"Bella, I can't."

I sucked on his earlobe; something I remembered he liked from our time together in Forks. "Yes, you can." I knew it because I was bold enough to run my hand down his abdomen and skimmed the border of his pants.

He caught my hand. "No, I really can't do this."

His tone broke through the desire that had been coursing through me. I stopped and thought for a moment. "Can't … or don't want to?"

He looked away from me and ran his hands through his hair again. A clear indication that he was distressed. I suddenly remembered I was naked. I picked up the towel in great embarrassment. A moment ago I felt beautiful and desirable and now I felt ashamed of my body.

I gathered up my courage and asked, "Is it Tanya?"

"No, Bella. That isn't it."

"You said you had a moment with her. Now that you had a chance to compare us did you realize she is the one that you want after all?"

"No! That isn't it at all!" Again, he looked like he was going to tear his hair out. "Yes, in a moment of extreme loneliness, she kissed me and I didn't immediately pull away in the hope that it would fill the void. But it only took seconds to know that you would be the only one that could fill that hole."

He paced around the room, clearly agitated. "It isn't that I don't want you. It's that I want you too much. I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself. Don't you realize that I have never been nor could I ever be with anyone but you like that?"

Oh. Oh, no. Tears began running down my face.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

His gentle tone only made me cry harder.

"But …. I have."


	29. Chapter 29 - Guilt

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. They meet again when Bella goes off to college.

 **A/N:** I know this is trite because I see them in the author notes of the stories I read on fanfiction - but I am really sorry for the delay. I have had a lot of work constraints which prevented me from updating more timely. I thank everyone that left such kind reviews on the last chapter and then sent me "friendly" requests to please update. Those really are motivating. Again, I reiterate my commitment to finishing this story. I hate when other authors abandon stories so I won't do that I promise.

Chapter 29 – Guilt

" _It isn't that I don't want you. It's that I want you too much. I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself. Don't you realize that I have never been nor could I ever be with anyone but you like that?"_

 _Oh. Oh, no. Tears began running down my face._

" _Bella, what's wrong?"_

 _His gentle tone only made me cry harder. "But …. I have."_

BPOV

The silence was unbearable.

"Edward, please say something."

He was as still as a statue again.

"Edward, I'm sorry. Please, don't hate me." I reached out to touch his arm and he flinched away.

"Don't!" He rasped out.

My stomach clenched in misery. He found my touch repulsive. I sobbed in agony. The sound seemed to break his stillness.

"Jake?"

I nodded. He closed his eyes and I flinched at the raw rage in his eyes when he opened them again.

There was a blur of movement and then a loud sound and he was gone. I called out his name but it was too late. I crumbled to the floor as I cried in misery. I replayed the look on his face when I had admitted I had slept with someone. He hated me. He would never forgive me. I felt that hole in my chest opening again.

The sound of the telephone interrupted my rocking back and forth.

I picked up the phone and could hear the hoarseness in my voice. "Hello?"

"Bella, it's Alice."

The sound of her voice set off a new round of wracking sobs.

"Bella, stop it. Stay where you are. Rosalie and I are on our way to come get you."

Thirty minutes later, Alice dealt with the front desk and directed me to Rosalie's car.

"I'm going to drive Edward's car. Rosalie will drop you off at your place. I'll meet you there later."

I was surprised that Alice wanted me to ride with Rosalie when Rosalie had barely seemed to tolerate my presence in the past. This was going to be a silent and uncomfortable ride home. I thought of protesting but Rosalie gave me a surprisingly compassionate look and opened the passenger door. "Come on. Let's get you home."

I stared at the open door for a moment and then finally nodded.

The car was silent for the first ten minutes of the drive. I had stopped sobbing but my eyes were red and occasionally I couldn't help a hiccup from escaping. I rubbed at my eyes as another stray tear fell at the memory of Edward's last expression.

I couldn't bear the silence a minute longer. "Did Alice tell you what happened?"

Rosalie shook her head but didn't take her eyes off the road. "She said that we needed to come get you because my brother acted like an ass and left you stranded after finding out one of the consequence of his stupidity."

"She didn't tell you what that was?"

"No, but I can guess."

I looked out the car window. "He hates me now."

Rosalie finally looked at me. "He doesn't hate you. He hates himself."

"You didn't see how he looked at me."

"Edward is an idiot. In some ways, he is stuck frozen in the customs and mores of the time he was changed in. That is his problem, not yours."

I didn't know what to say to that.

"Can I ask you a question?"

I nodded.

She looked at me again. "Did you do anything to be ashamed of?"

The question surprised me. I had never asked myself that question. Did I do anything to be ashamed of? The answer was no. My only crime was that I placed my trust in a man that promised love and a future and then left me. The more I thought of it, the more I realized that I wasn't hurt anymore. In fact, I actually felt tired and angry. Tired of feeling not good enough. Angry that Edward had made me feel guilty.

I turned to Rosalie and I knew she could see the epiphany her question had triggered. "Thank you."

She nodded and looked back at the road.

 _Xxxx_

EPOV

"Edward, please say something." Bella pleaded with me.

I stood there stunned. I couldn't move. My vampire brain with all of its powers couldn't process what she had just said.

I just stared. Finally, I said, "Jake?"

She nodded. "Edward, I'm sorry." Her hand reached out and I flinched away.

I could hold back the "Don't!"

She looked crushed. "Please don't hate me."

I was in agony. I had to get away. She had been intimate with someone else. She had let that mutt touch her. Have her.

I punched a hole into the wall of the room. Bella flinched at the sound of the destruction. Then she looked frightened.

"Edward!"

I had to think before I did or say something I would regret. I turned and in an instant, I was gone. I ran into the bordering forest.

An hour later Emmett's voice rang out.

"I see you left your mark on this area."

I looked around at the destruction I had wrought on what was once a dense forest near a lake. It was now a clearing scattered with over turned trees and crumbled rocks. I shrugged.

"How did you find me?"

"Everyone in the family knows this is your brooding rock. Although with the mess you have made of this place you may need to find a new spot."

"Why are you out here?"

"Alice. She said you screwed something up very badly and you might need someone."

"Alice, hmmm. And she thought you were the right one to send?"

"Well, no one has screwed up more than me with my mate so she thought I was the right choice to help you dig yourself out of the hole."

"Did she tell you what I screwed up?"

"No. I assume it is about Bella."

I nodded.

Minutes of silence passed. "Edward, unfortunately you are the only one with the mind reading talent in this family. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

I gritted out, "She and that _boy_ from the reservation slept together."

He was silent for a moment. Even his thoughts were silent.

"So what is bothering you the most? That you won't be her first or that she didn't put herself in a glass box and wait for you to come back to her?"

I wanted to punch him. He made it seem so inconsequential. "How could she have slept with him if she really loved me? I couldn't do that."

"What about what Tanya said the other night?"

"Once. Once, I gave in to the loneliness. I let her kiss me and I didn't immediately spurn her advances. I guess it was curiosity. I hoped that I would feel something. It didn't take long for me to realize that it was a mistake."

"And you expected the same thing from Bella?"

"Yes!"

"Edward, don't be a dick. The difference is that you knew you were still in love with Bella when you let Tanya touch you. Bella thought you were out of her life forever. Did you expect her to be alone for the rest of her life and pine for you? Die a virgin? She had no expectation that you were ever coming back to her. You did everything in your power to convince her that your feelings for her had changed. We all know that she has experienced a history of people leaving her. Are you really surprised that when you didn't immediately come back she believed you? Do you really begrudge her trying to find some solace or happiness with someone else?"

"No. But I can't stop feeling hurt and angry." I couldn't get the mental image of them together like that out of my mind. I could feel the monster inside wanting to be let out and tear apart that mongrel.

"Are you angry at her or yourself for causing this shit show?"

That stopped me. I sighed knowing he was right. "I know I have no one to blame but myself. But, I can't let go of how I thought this would go." I looked back out at the lake not wanting to make eye contact with Emmett. I shrugged. "I just had this picture of how our future would be together."

I didn't want to tell Emmett the full fantasy but I thought that I would propose to her and we would be married in our meadow surrounded by family. I would take her to the island that Carlisle had bought Esme and we would finally explore the physical side of our relationship. It would be the first time for both of us so we would learn together how to touch each other and bring each other pleasure. Then we would go off to college together. I would experience going to college again through her eyes which would make it feel like it was the first time for both of us.

"Vampire/Human, everyone has a picture of their future," Emmett said kindly. "You know what they say, 'Man plans and God smiles'. If you hadn't left, things would have been different." Emmett put his hand on my shoulder and I turned back to look at him. He looked so sad. "But you did leaver her and you did your best to convince her that you weren't coming back. Now you can't punish her for believing all the lies you told her. You can't punish her for doing what you told her to do – to move on with her life."

"I know."

"She's a human, Edward. Human's look at time differently than we do. What is a blink to you was almost three years for her. Three years at a critical time in her life and development as a human. She transitioned from childhood to adulthood. How long was she supposed to wait to see if you would change your mind when you assured her that you wouldn't?"

"You're right. I know you are right but I can't help how I feel."

"Well you better get that under control before you approach Bella again. You better be able to direct your anger at who really deserves it and that is not her."

The monster didn't want to be reasoned with it. It wanted to be let loose to get revenge and then it wanted to stake its claim over Bella. The logical part of myself, the part that tried to keep the monster under control, knew that Emmett was right.

"I keep seeing her with that boy in my head and I want to tear things apart."

Emmett looked at the destruction around him, "Yeah, I can see that."

He sat down beside me and stared out at the lake. Then he said, "If you focus on something that you can't change you will only damage your feelings for her and her feelings for you. I understand probably more than most that a woman's virtue isn't based on the presence of her hymen."

He was thinking of Rosalie. I knew from reading her thoughts that after she woke up she felt sullied. Emmett's love had made her feel clean again after the horrible abuse she suffered. His love and acceptance of her fixed something in her that Carlisle and I could never help her with after the attack.

"So, Bella had a life after you were gone. You have to accept it and not punish her for it. It isn't important who was her first. What should be important to you is that she'll want you to be her last."

Emmett sat there quietly, letting his words sink in. Then he got up and held out his hand to me. "Are you ready to go home?"

I shot up suddenly when I remembered what I had done to Bella. "I have to go back to the inn. I just left Bella without a way to get home."

"Alice and Rosalie took care of everything. Alice made sure that Bella got home safely."

"Then I need to go to her apartment. I need to see Bella. I need to apologize. She's never going to forgive me."

Emmet gave me a sad look. "I'm not going to lie to you, Edward. You've dug yourself into a very deep hole. Why don't you come back to the house first and talk to the girls before you go tearing off to Bella's."

"I can't. I need to see Bella now!"

Emmett called after me but I was too intent on getting to Bella to listen.

XXXX

Leah was outside of the apartment when I arrived and if looks could have killed, I would have been dead. Again.

She charged up to me and shoved me in the chest. "I can't believe you left her like that!"

She was strong, but her hit wasn't enough to even push me off balance.

I tried to get around her but she wouldn't let me. "Leah, I don't have time to talk to you. I have to go see Bella."

"Don't even think about going near that door! What right did you have to be angry with her?

I looked down in shame. "No right. I know that."

She didn't look satisfied. I knew I handled this wrong but I wanted her to understand so she would let me see Bella. "It was hard enough to know that she dated someone else for over a year but I wasn't expecting to hear that it was so serious."

"You left her!" Again, she pushed against my chest but this time it rocked me back on my heels. I could see Bella's tear soaked eyes in Leah's mind.

"Please, Leah. I need to apologize to her before it's too late."

"It's already too late."

If I had a working heart, it would have stopped beating. I couldn't let myself believe that.

"Neither of you deserved Bella. Do you know the damage that both of you did to that girl? She had enough issues from her parents. But both of you did so much worse. You both professed to love her and then you both left her. How she was even willing to give you a second chance is beyond me."

I knew she was right.

"When Bella loves – she loves deeply. She didn't just one day decide to sleep with some guy. You don't know what it was like for her after you left!"

Leah suddenly opened her mind to me. I immediately received a montage of images of a hollowed-eye Bella. She was at least twenty pounds under weight and had dark circles under expressionless eyes. I saw her as she walked listlessly into the front door of one of the reservation houses. She followed Charlie almost robotically. They must have been images of Bella at the reservation when she and Charlie visited the Blacks.

"Do you see how hard she took your departure? Charlie told Billy and Jake that she wouldn't eat. She didn't sleep through the night for over a year. She would wake up screaming from nightmares."

The pictures of Bella so clearly in pain brought me to my knees. It was my fault. All my fault.

"At one point Charlie considered hospitalizing her. He confronted her and threatened to send her to Florida to live with her Mother. That threat snapped her out of the fog she had been living in." Leah's voice got quieter. "One day she showed up at the reservation with a couple of beat up bikes. She offered Jake one of the bikes in exchange for helping her to restore the broken down pieces of junk. Jake saw the opportunity to spend a lot of time with Bella and jumped at the offer. Hate him all you want but Jake really helped her come back to life."

This time I saw a montage of images of Bella as she looked a little more animated while she helped a native boy take apart a bike. As the images flashed through Leah's mind I saw the change in Bella. She put on some of the lost weight and even smiled again.

"She didn't date him right away. She didn't give up on you. She had faith that you would come back. But Jake had a crush on her since they were small children playing together. Jake wasn't a fool. He bided his time. He was whatever she needed him to be. A friend to study with, a buddy to goof off with and a buffer against the Forks high school crowd who couldn't understand why she couldn't snap out of her funk and move on to the next guy. He helped her rebuild the bikes and helped her find some joy in living again."

This time he saw a series of memories of all the little things Jake had done to try to bring her back to life.

"But then Jake went through the change. He had a hard time. He was sworn to secrecy and he thought Bella would think he was a monster. He cut her out of his life. Just as she connected the legends with what you are, she connected the stories to what Jake was. She didn't accept his silence. She confronted him and she made him feel normal which only made him want her more. She had run into Laurent and found out that Victoria wanted to kill her. Jake swore that he and the pack would keep her safe. I think that is when she gave up on you and your family. You didn't come back after Laurent's attack. She thought Alice would have seen the danger. She was convinced that you would come back to protect her. But you didn't. Do you know she used to drive out to your old house in the hope that she would find you there or find a piece of mail that would indicate where you had gone?"

I hated what I had done to her. Each word was like a lash to my heart.

"More time passed with no word of you. She was in constant danger from Victoria. And there was Jake telling her he loved her, that he would never hurt her and that he would protect her. Can you really hate her for finding some comfort with him?"

I could feel my fists clench but knew the anger was directed at myself.

"Even after they started dating, she kept it PG-13 for the longest time. You had been gone for over two years. She hadn't heard a word from you or your family."

Hearing it from her perspective, I could understand that at that point she must have believed she was never going to hear from me again. My own words came back to haunt me, _It will be as if I never existed._

Leah continued. "She told me that Charlie once told her that sometimes you have to let yourself love the one that is good for you. To be fair to Jake, he was good to her and good for her at that time."

I saw another montage of Bella playing tag on the beach laughing as Jake scooped her up and ran with her over his shoulder into the surf. He saw as she leaned against Jake in front of a fire surrounded by other couples listening intently to an older man. Then she was in a beautiful dress slow dancing with her head resting on Jakes chest while other couples danced around them.

"Jake got more intense after one of the patrols found the scent of a vampire around Bella's house. Jake was convinced that it was you or one of your family. He was worried that he was going to lose her so he tried to tie her to him both emotionally and physically. She finally gave in the night of Emily and Sam's wedding." Leah looked past me. "I think she was caught up with the idea of love and the dream of a future that Jake promised. So… she let herself love the one that was supposed to be good for her. And then Jake broke her heart in a way that was probably worse than what you did."

Again, my inner monster raised its head. "What do you mean?"

"The day after they had finally slept together, he met someone else."

I remembered Lauren's digs at Bella, "Vanessa?"

"That's right. He met Vanessa the next day and that was it for him."

"How? How could he do that to her?"

"It's complicated." I tried to read her thoughts but her mind was closed to me again. She had a low key monologue going on this back of her mind that blocked me from reading anything further. "Jake didn't handle it well." She continued. "He knew he screwed up. Instead of telling Bella what had happened, he avoided her."

My monster wanted to track the dog down for hurting Bella like that.

"What happened then?"

"Obviously, Bella found out the truth and they broke up. It was an uncomfortable situation for many reasons. Victoria was still a threat so she still had to see Jake and the rest of the pack. It was a really horrible time for Bella." She looked me in the eye and said, "She's paid enough for trying to find a small piece of happiness. Don't make her pay anymore."

I closed my eyes in shame. I wasn't worthy of Bella. I was the catalyst for so many bad things that happened to her. How could she forgive me.

"Give her a day before you try to talk to her. Take the time to figure out what you want and if you can treat her the way she deserves to be treated. Figure out if your actions can match your words. At the first test, you already failed her. I don't think she can take much more before you kill all the love she has for you."

I nodded to Leah and slowly turned around.

XXXX

BPOV

"Is he gone?" I asked when Leah came back into the apartment. I had to fight the part of me that wanted to run to him and beg his forgiveness. But that was wrong. I hadn't done anything that required his forgiveness. I had to stand up for myself now or there was no way we could have a future together.

"Yes. But I have to tell you that he looked torn up that you wouldn't speak to him."

"I don't care." I did, but I needed to toughen up. In a moment of weakness I turned to Leah. "Do you think I did something wrong?"

"God no, Bella!"

Again, doubts crept into my mind. "Was my love shallow for Edward because I turned to Jake?"

"Bella, stop second guessing the choices you made. You did nothing wrong. I was there. More importantly, I know Jakes thoughts and emotions. I know exactly what happened and you have nothing be ashamed of."

I wanted to believe her. I wanted to hold on to that moment with Rosalie and know for certain that I wasn't a bad person because I opened my heart and my body to Jake. It was hard to not let the doubts win.

"Bella, you did nothing wrong." Leah repeated quietly.

I nodded and let it drop.

Seconds later there was a knock at the door.

"Edward?"

Leah shook her head. "Not a chance. I had to force him to agree to give you a day before he approached you. That way neither of you will say something that you can't come back from."

I nodded knowing that I was too emotional to have any serious discussions with Edward.

Alice's voice came through the door. "Hurry up and let me in before this ice cream melts!"

Leah opened the door and Rosalie and Alice walked in with shopping bags and a couple of DVDs. Alice held up the bags and trilled, "We're having a slumber party, ladies. Get into you most comfortable jammies. We are going to watch these chick-flicks, eat ice cream and talk bad about men!"

"You're going to eat ice cream?" Leah asked Alice and Rosalie dubiously.

"Well, we'll leave the ice cream to you two but we'll let Rosalie dig into her stockpile of Emmett stories to support why men our idiots."

"Deal!"

XXXXXXX

He was in view of the building when he stopped abruptly. He could smell the Cullen women. He quickly put some distance between himself and the building. He didn't want them to smell him. He felt rage that he couldn't get closer to the apartment. Closer to her. He hadn't been able to get into the apartment since the Cullen's had installed the security system. It was too risky and he wanted to lull them in to a false sense of security before he took his revenge. His fists clenched in frustration. He would have to get satisfaction elsewhere.


	30. Chapter 30 - Show Me

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **Set:** Alternative universe to New Moon. Edward doesn't think Bella died. Edward doesn't go to the Volturi nor does he come back to Bella. They meet again when Bella goes off to college.

 **A/N:** I have to mark a milestone. This chapter pushes me over 100,000 words. Woohoo! I wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of my great beta, Alicedoubtfire. Thanks to everyone that took the time to leave a review last chapter. You guys are the best. I am glad that many of you liked and commented on Emmet's conversation with Edward and Rose's with Bella. Thank you for the new followers and those that just favorited the story.

Chapter 30 – Show Me

EPOV

I walked up to Bella's door feeling like a man about to go to the gallows. I had given her space as Leah recommended and to which my sisters had concurred. I spent the time talking to Jasper and Carlisle. They had helped me work through my feelings in an effort to make sure that when I spoke to Bella she could count on speaking to a man and not the frozen adolescent I kept showing her.

I didn't know how I was going to convince her to listen to me. She had every right to cast me out of her life for once and for all. I hoped I could touch that compassionate side of her once again.

I knocked and Leah opened the door. She gave me a scathing glare but yelled, "Bella, Edward is here to see you."

Bella came out from her room. I could see the barriers were up. Really up.

Leah looked at both of us and sighed. "I'm going to the grocery store to give you guys some privacy." She turned to me and I clearly heard in my head this time, ' _I will turn you into a chew toy if you fuck this up'._

As would be her right. I nodded and she left.

Bella looked uncomfortable but then remembered her manners. "Would you like to sit down?"

I took a seat on the sofa and she sat on the matching chair. I guessed she didn't want to sit too close. This didn't bode well for me. What had Emmett said? Oh, yeah. _'Grovel. Grovel hard!'_

I wasn't sure how I was going to fix this. I had failed in every promise I had made to her to keep her physically and emotionally safe. She had showed me nothing but compassion and generosity and I had only rewarded her with pain and self-doubt.

I looked into her beautiful pale face and memorized each feature yet again in case she banished me from her life. I knew I deserved her hatred but I hoped she could find some spark of mercy for me once again.

"I'm sorry, Bella."

She didn't say anything.

I rushed on, "I should have never reacted the way I did and I shouldn't have left you like that."

She nodded but still looked remote. "Edward, I warned you that a lot had happened after you left. You told me you understood but obviously that wasn't true. Frankly, I'm afraid to trust you. You keep saying the right things but your actions don't match up to your words."

I had to regroup. How could I make her understand? "Bella, I was an ass. How I reacted the other day was wrong and I know that."

"Edward, I can't change the past. The way you looked at me, killed me."

"Bella, I'm truly sorry."

"You can't keep punishing me for making a life for myself."

"You are correct. You had every right to make a life for yourself. I know that. I was angry but I wasn't angry at you. I was angry at myself. You wrongly bore the brunt of that anger. Telling me about Jake forced me to confront the consequences of my actions."

"You mean leaving?"

"I mean how I left. Thinking I knew what was better for you and lying to you so well that you believed I was never coming back."

"Edward I waited. I kept faith in you. It wasn't days, it was years. But when Victoria kept stalking me and you didn't come back, I resigned myself to the fact that there was no hope. I had to believe your words."

"I know that, Bella. That's what made this so much worse for me because I had no one else to blame but myself. I had to let go of the past."

She stilled. "You mean let go of me?"

"No!" I started to pull at my hair. How could I make her understand? "Have you ever had a dream about how the future would be?"

She nodded.

"Well, until I met you the future was just one long stretch of emptiness. I was surrounded by mated vampires that had nothing but being together to look forward to for eternity. My future looked bleak and lonely by comparison. Then I met you. For the first time, I felt part of something bigger than myself and I started to dream of a future. All those nights I snuck into Charlie's house I dreamt of that future as I held you in my arms. Each night, I filled in more of the details of that dream while you slept until I could see it so clearly I could almost touch it."

I paced around the room but continued, "When I left, I held on to that dream like a keepsake that I could take out and stroke for comfort. It gave me solace when I didn't think I could take a moment longer without you. I coped by treating our time apart as a pause to that dream."

I sat down across from her again and took her hands. "The only way I could deal with our separation was to freeze you in my mind as the beautiful innocent girl I met in biology class. The one that was too observant. The one that was so compassionate she saw past the monster."

BPOV:

"Innocent?" I snatched my hands away from him. My stomach clenched at that word. "So you were angry that I wasn't innocent anymore; that I didn't wait for you?"

"No!" He practically screamed. "I was angry because I missed something special with you because of my arrogance."

I was weak. I wanted to grab his hands from his beautiful hair. He was virtually pulling it out of his head in his agitation to find the right words to explain. I knew I had to listen to all the words but that one word, 'innocent', reverberated in my head. He was never going to look at me the same. No matter that I knew I had done nothing wrong, I didn't think I could bear to have him look at me like he had at the inn again.

"Look, I tried to rationalize it to myself that you were finally safe without us. But I never let myself think of your day to day life beyond Charlie, finishing school and going to college. As unreasonable as it is, I never let myself picture you moving on with someone else. I know you warned me that things had happened while we were apart and that you had changed but I guess I didn't want to really believe it."

"So now that you know, you hate me for not being the same person you left behind?"

He jumped up from the couch and started to pace around the room.

"I could never hate you, Bella."

"Really? Can you accept me as I am? Can you accept that I had a life after you left me? I don't think I could survive if you threw this in my face in the future."

I could hear the vulnerability in my voice underneath the anger.

"Bella, I love you as you are now. I wouldn't change any experience that has made you the strong beautiful woman that you have become. While I wallowed in self-pity, you were the brave one. You lived. You put yourself back together and tried to find happiness. I did such a good job at undermining your faith in me. You had no way of knowing whether I would come back to you. It was immature of me to not recognize that you would listen to me and move on. I was devastated because yesterday forced me to see a different picture of the future."

My stomach dropped. "So you don't see a future with me anymore?"

"No, no! Bella, that isn't what I meant at all. Let me be very clear. There is no future for me without you. Yesterday, I had to face that time has moved on from the childish fantasy I dreamt of for us."

A masochistic part of me wanted to hear if it had matched mine. "Could you tell me what you thought that would be?"

"Of course." He took my hands in his again and said, "Needless to say, I had our senior year mapped out. I would court you, as you deserved. I would take you on dates and spoil you with presents that you would finally accept. I would sabotage your truck so badly that even Rosalie wouldn't be able to resurrect it. Then you would finally accept a nice safe Volvo."

I laughed through tears at the thought of his disdain for my old truck.

He gave my hand a gentle squeeze and continued. "We would fill out college applications together. I would periodically save you from mass shopping sprees with my crazy sister. I would get to see what it was like to dance with you without a cast at our Senior Prom. Then I planned to ask you to marry me after graduation so we would be husband and wife when we started college together. I wanted to take you away to a remote island where we be alone and we would both make love for the first time."

"And now that it won't be the first time for both of us?"

"But it will! It will be the first time _we_ make love and I realized that is all that matters."

I wanted to believe his words. Tears ran down my face at the beautiful picture he painted.

"I ruined that."

"No, Bella, no. _I_ ruined that!"

"I swear I didn't just jump into bed with Jake.."

"Bella, you don't owe me an explanation. Even if you had it would have been your right. And to be fair, you don't need to explain anything. You have a good friend with a very detailed memory."

How much had Leah let him see?

As if in answer to my silent question he said, "She showed me what my lies did to you. She showed me how much Jake helped you. I'm sorry that Jake hurt you but I can't be sorry that it didn't work out. If it had, I wouldn't have this second chance with you now. One I'm hoping that I haven't lost because of how badly I reacted to your honesty."

He looked at me like he was awaiting sentencing.

"Bella, you represent every hope and every dream I have. You are everything that has ever been good in my existence. Please forgive me and let me show you I can be the man you deserve instead of the rigid adolescent boy I keep showing you. Please dream a new future with me."

"Yes." I smiled up at him through my tears. "Yes, I would like that very much."

XXXX

Over the next few weeks, things changed in our relationship. Edward treated me more like an equal. We talked about things we had never discussed before about his past, our time apart and the future.

He told me about the time he had left Carlisle and drank from humans and how he stopped when he realized it made him feel like a monster.

"But Edward, you only drank from humans you knew were evil and had done heinous crimes."

"I know and I tried to justify my actions like that for a long time. Eventually, I realized I couldn't be judge, jury and executioner without turning into a monster like the ones that I was feeding off of. I finally returned to Carlisle like the prodigal son, and like the story in the bible, he forgave me and welcomed me home."

"Think of all the lives you saved."

"Maybe. But I also think of that monster just under the surface."

I told him about the nightmares I had after he left and the emails I would write to Alice. That led me to turnover one of my papers I had written for my writing class on loss. I watched his expression as he silently read through a story I had patterned on some of my experiences.

"Words escape me, Bella. It's beautifully written and heart wrenchingly moving. Your use of death, love and loss as actual characters is powerful. It has so much emotional depth. I know that can only come from a place of truth. Sadly I know I contributed to that place. I'm amazed at how you turned it into something so remarkable."

I brushed a tear from my eye.

"Have you thought of writing professionally?"

I shrugged. "I planned to teach at one point, but now I don't know."

We had talked about my time with the reservation tutoring program which triggered my interest in teaching. "You would make a great teacher but you shouldn't rule out writing. This could easily be turned into a full size book. It's original and would connect with a lot of people."

"Thanks. I'll think about it. First, let's see what my professor thinks of it."

XXXX

October ushered in the cooler weather and a burst of colors as the leaves changed. Edward and I had just left our 'Grandeur that was Rome' class.

"Alice asked if you and Leah would like to come to the house tomorrow night."

"Any special reason?"

"It's one of Rose and Emmett's anniversaries."

I laughed at his phrasing. "One of them?"

"They have had a few vow renewal ceremonies and not always on the same date. You know Alice. Any chance to have a party. You know Rosalie. Any chance to be the center of attention."

"How many years have they been married?"

"Well, the first time they officially married was 1936."

"Wow. My parents couldn't last four years."

"Is that what soured you on the institution of marriage?"

"I won't lie, they didn't help. It's not that I don't believe in marriage, I just don't think a piece of paper guarantees a commitment. Alice and I spoke about it once. She said that once she met Jasper she knew that she was fully committed to him. She said she only married him in a formal ceremony to make Carlisle happy."

"Does that mean you don't want to get married?"

"I didn't say that. When we were in High School it was a more nebulous concept to me. One so off in the future I didn't picture when it was going to fit into my life plan."

"And now?"

"I guess I've gotten older. You finish high school, you go to college, get your first job and marriage seems to be one of those expected stages of life. I guess a few years after you left, people I knew not much older than myself were moving on to that stage so it didn't seem such a distant possibility."

"So you've thought about marriage?"

"Yes. Jake talked about it a lot. I thought about it when you and I were together before. I knew it was something that was very important to you."

"Yes. When I was human it was the way you stood up in front of your family, friends and society and told them that this is the person that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. It was the way that society sanctioned being together. Now society doesn't seem to care."

"I don't know if that is true. I think people still value society's acceptance of a union. Look how hard same sex couples are fighting for the right to marry and be recognized by society and the law. Edward, do you still need that paper?"

"I agree that in my mind there was a certain order to things. You court someone, you ask them to marry you and then you make them your wife in every sense of the word."

"Is that why you always pulled back when things got heated in Forks?"

"Partly. I think we can agree that I was stuck in the morality of my human existence. But I was also afraid that I might hurt you physically."

"Edward, I know that you could have never hurt me physically. But, the way you acted then made me feel rejected."

Edward made a protesting sound but I continued, "It was the way you stopped and how you acted afterwards. You would pull back abruptly as if I had done something wrong and then you would act all cold. It made me feel very insecure. You were the only guy I had ever been with. You were this incredibly beautiful creature and for some reason you wanted to be with me. I would hear the other girls at school talking about their boyfriends and some would over share their sex life so I think I had a healthy appreciation for what was normal. I know what we did felt right to me but what when you kept pushing me away I wasn't sure. I sometimes felt like the villainess in an old time movie trying to steal your virtue. I thought that maybe you were disgusted by my forwardness."

"No, Bella! I cherished every intimate moment we had. I thought you were the most beautiful, responsive girl in the world and I was lucky to be with you. I know I seemed in control but that was an illusion. Deep down, I was a still a hormonal seventeen year old boy but with vampire strength. If I had lost control and hurt you I wouldn't have forgiven myself. I tried to approach being physical, the same way I had approached being around your scent. I tried to increase our intimacy gradually building up my self-control so I wouldn't hurt you."

"Why didn't you tell me that?"

"I didn't want you to be scared of me. I also thought you expected me to have it all figured out."

"I just wanted us to be able to talk about the things that were important to us. I would have been able to help you instead of pushing you for more intimacy when you weren't ready."

"I wish I had been more open."

"So you'll tell me if I'm pushing you this time?"

"I will. But I've been more open with my brothers. I've asked their advice and I think I'm more prepared now than I was back then. I'm not saying anything has to happen but I agree we should be more open with each other."

XXXX

I came home from the library to find Leah on the phone with her Mom. I threw my backpack into my room and came back out to the kitchen to cook. I had a pot of boiling water going on the stove and had just heated up some sauce when Leah got off the phone and came to find me.

"How does pasta with arrabiatta sauce sound for dinner?"

"Sounds great. Mom and Charlie said hi, by the way. They said they expect your phone call sometime tomorrow."

I nodded. "How is Sue feeling?"

"She said everything is good. They even eased up on the bed rest. She was thrilled because she said she was going stir crazy. She wanted to confirm we were still planning on coming home for Thanksgiving?"

"Of course," I said and realized this time I really meant it. I didn't dread going back to Forks like I had a few months ago.

"Where is hot and fangy?"

"Ha, ha. Very funny. He and the family went hunting." I said as I strained the pasta. I poured on the sauce and mixed in some cubed into the pasta and set the steaming bowl on the table. We were going to eat like civilized people at the kitchen table instead of at the coffee table in front of the TV.

"Did Kate and Callum go with them?"

"No, Edward said they left a few days ago."

"Maybe that's for the best. I got a weird vibe off him."

I had to agree. Leah finished setting the table and sat down. I spooned out the pasta and Leah inhaled appreciatively. "Smells good." She took a bite. "Tastes good. Nice and spicy."

"And simple to make." Leah had once told me in Florida that she refused to make any meal that required more than five ingredients. She was thrilled that I was willing to do the cooking. She made up for it with a willingness to vacuum and wash the kitchen and bathroom floors. "By the way, Alice wants us to go their place tomorrow night. She's having an anniversary party for Emmett and Rosalie."

"What is that - like number ninety for them?"

"Not quite that many. Edward said they married in 1936."

"Wow. I wonder how they keep the spark alive." She joked.

"Edward said Rosalie is very flexible and Emmett is very imaginative," I said with a straight face.

Leah's fork full of pasta that dripped in sauce and cheese stopped midway to her mouth. "Ok, that visual is going to be burned into my eyes. That is way too much information!"

"Hey, you were the nosy wolf. You can't complain if I then overshare," I said and took a bite. The sauce was really good. I was glad I added that extra garlic. That made me giggle. I wondered if Edward would have a problem with the garlic from a folklore perspective or just from a super smell perspective.

We finished the night in front of the TV with a bowl of popcorn and watched our favorite reality cooking show. It was the technical skills portion of the show and the contestants had to make the perfect french-fries.

"Damn, I had no idea it was that complicated to make French-fries. McDonalds makes it look so easy."

I threw some popcorn at her. She threw some back and the next thing I knew we had a popcorn fight.

Neither of us caught the headline on the television about a body of a young woman found by some joggers.

XXX

Edward arrived at my front door the next morning. "Ready to go?" He asked as he handed me a cup of coffee and a bag.

"Thanks. You didn't have to do that." I said as I took the bag and looked inside. Score! A blueberry scone.

"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day."

"Really, what was yours?"

"Just finished a couple of deer."

I shouldn't have asked.

I finished my coffee and treat and we left for campus. "That was great. Do you mind if we go the long way? I need to walk off that scone." We took the walking path near the river that bordered the outskirts of campus.

The breeze off the water was a bit brisk and Edward took off his jacket, "Would you like to put this on? You look cold."

I thanked him and discreetly sniffed the collar once I had it on. I loved to wear his clothes. They smelled so good. Based on Edward's expression I guessed I hadn't been that discreet. I turned red but I knew he loved what I had unconsciously done. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it. Then he held on to it as we walked the pathway of Waterfront Park.

We were at the crosswalk to campus when we noticed the herd of reporters set up for a remote feed with the river to their backs as they recorded sound bites.

"What's going on?" I asked Edward as we got closer to the reporters.

Edward concentrated for a moment, "It appears there was another murder."

One of the reporters saw us, grabbed her cameraman and ran up to us and blocked our path. "Excuse me. Are you students at Portland State University? What is your reaction to another murder of one of you classmates so close to campus?"

Edward blocked the camera and moved us away from the aggressive woman. "No comment."

A few other curious students stopped to see what was going on. Sensing fresh meat, they swarmed the unsuspecting students yelling questions and filming reaction shots from the crowd.

"What was that all about?"

"From what I could pick up, some joggers found another student's body dumped off the walking path near the river edge. Two unsolved murders of University students equals big ratings for these vultures."

"Crap. This is going to mean another phone call from Charlie."

"I'm a little concerned as well. Alice usually sees something like this ahead of time. She didn't have any advance notice for either of these murders."

"Didn't you say she had a harder time seeing something if someone makes a decision at the last minute? Maybe this was an impulse murder and nothing to do with the other murder."

"Maybe. In the meantime, would it offend your sense of independence if I offer you an escort to and from campus until the police know more about the situation?"

"Nope, that would be great. Do you think we could convince Alice to help us so one of you can be with Leah as well?"

"Of course."

XXXX

Leah and I had a great time at the Cullen's house. Alice pulled out pictures of the many weddings the couple had over the years. It was lot of laughs seeing the change in fashion and hair styles.

"Eddie, even you couldn't pull off the large lapels of the leisure suit." Leah mocked at one of the pictures. Edward cringed at the picture and Leah's use of 'Eddie'.

"Look!" Alice squealed. "This is when Rosalie went through her Bo Derek phase." Rosalie had on a nude color tank maxi dress for her wedding gown and her hair was parted down the center and braided in tiny braids with beads on the end.

Rosalie cringed.

Alice laughed. "I warned her that she was going to regret that look."

After the photo albums were put away and Leah and I finished the anniversary cake, Leah brought up the murder. "Was there anything new on the news?"

Carlisle shook his head. "No, but Jasper is going to hack into the police computers and dig around. I don't like the fact that Alice didn't see anything."

They speculated on things but without any real facts I knew nothing would be accomplished. Edward must have felt the same way because he led me over to one of the couches. "Bella, do you have class next Friday?"

"I have one of those math labs run by a TA but nothing I can't blow off. Why?"

"Well, there are no classes on Monday because of Columbus Day. I thought maybe we could go away for a long weekend."

"Do you have any place in mind?"

"I guess that depends on whether you have a passport?"

"Yes, of course. Were you thinking of crossing over to Canada? Maybe Vancouver for the weekend?"

"Something like that. Let me surprise you."

"Oh, wait. Leah!"

He tilted his head over to the girls and I saw Leah nod her head excitedly at something Alice had said. "I think you will find that Alice has just convinced Leah to take a trip to LA."

"That is sweet. You've thought of everything."

"I try."

"Wait? If it is a surprise, how will I know what to pack?"

"Let's let Alice take care of that for you. Could you be ready to leave Thursday after classes so we have the full four days?"

"Sure, but are you sure I shouldn't pack something comfortable just in case Alice goes crazy? Do you remember her idea of hiking wear?"

Alice piped up, "Once. Once I pushed fashion over practicality and you are never going to let me live it down."

Edward chuckled at the high heel hiking shoes she had found.

"I promise to keep her under control."

"In that case, sure."


	31. Chapter 31 - Rounding the bases

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thanks for everyone that took the time to review. Please know that reviews are highly motivating. Welcome to the new followers. I've been trying to update regularly. I have two more chapters going through the edit process so this should continue.

 **Chapter 31 – Rounding the Bases**

On Sunday, Alice announced that it would be a perfect day for baseball. Carlisle thought it was a great idea as the family hadn't had much success finding information on the two murders and he thought everyone could use a distraction.

Alice said that the best place to play that provided enough privacy was a little over an hour out of town in the Mt. Hood National Forest. She arranged for Edward to drive Leah and me in one car while the other couples took two of the other family cars.

Alice carried a change of clothes for Leah so she could run with Alice and the rest of the family once we arrived at the National Forest. She phased and it was obvious from their astonished faces that it was the first time the vampires had seen a wolf phase. Leah gave a doggy grin and loped off into the forest. The others followed. Carlisle held back from the rest of the family with Edward and me.

Carlisle shook his head. "That was amazing. I wonder if she would let me draw some of her blood so I could do a DNA workup."

I shrugged. "I don't think she would be offended if you asked."

Carlisle smiled and said, "I'll see you in the clearing." He dropped the paternal persona and for once looked his age as he gave a lighted hearted laugh and took off running. He was a spectacularly handsome man.

"Are you ready?"

"I guess so."

He let me climb on to his back and said, "Ok, hold on tight and don't let go."

I closed my eyes and we took off. I felt the wind on my face for a few minutes as if I were on the back of a motorcycle. With that in mind, I remembered to keep my mouth closed so I didn't accidentally swallow a bug.

"Ok. We're here." I still had my eyes closed. "You can let go now, Bella." He vibrated pleasantly as he chuckled.

I released him from my death grip and slid down his back.

He turned around, flashed me his sexy smile and then straightened my hair as he handed me a baseball cap.

I put it on and Alice announced the teams. "Ok, with Leah we have even numbers so we are going to play girls against boys. Bella, you will be the umpire again."

"Let's hope this game doesn't end with any nomads," Rosalie muttered.

Edward shot her a quelling glance but I had to agree with her.

"You don't mind that you aren't playing?"

I shook my head in quick denial. "Not at all. Do I have to remind you of how dangerous I am with a volleyball? Imagine what I could do with a bat."

"Bella, you couldn't hurt us with a bat."

"Not you – myself!"

No one disagreed. The game started with the first clap of thunder.

Two hours later the game had to be called a draw.

"I have never seen such blatant cheating!"

"Us? You think we didn't see Alice slip the spare ball in her glove when she ran for the long drive."

"If you're going to cheat at least do it well enough not to get caught."

This was evidently an ongoing argument. Edward and I left the bickering couples and were the first to arrive back at the cars. The others trailed behind as Emmett and Jasper carried the equipment. They stowed everything in the trunks and Leah decided to ride back with Jasper and Alice.

"Would you like to do something?" Edward asked when we got closer to Portland.

"To tell you the truth, I'd like to dry off and get into something comfortable and vegetate on the couch. Do you want to go back to my place and watch a movie?"

"Sounds good."

Edward parked his car near the apartment and followed me upstairs. I unlocked the front door, disarmed the security alarm and dropped my keys on the table near the door.

"Why don't you see if there is something on Netflix that interests you while I change?"

I changed into some yoga pants and a racer back tank top. I looked in the bathroom mirror and got a fright. Yikes! My hair looked like a squirrel had run around in it. I brushed it into a ponytail, thought about putting on makeup and decided I couldn't be bothered.

I walked back to the living room and Edward stood when he saw me. He looked me up and down in the form fitting yoga clothes and I thought his eyes darkened.

EPOV

It was official. She was trying to kill me. If I had had any blood it had fled south. I might have forgotten my name for a second. She looked hot! She should only wear yoga clothing. Ever.

"Bella." Had my voice just cracked? I cleared my throat and tried again. "Bella, you look lovely."

She smiled and threw herself on the couch.

"What did you find?"

I gave her a couple of choices and we settled on one of those teen slasher movies that had equal parts gore and humor.

I sat down beside her and she scooted closer so she could lean against me. It only took a few minutes before the music indicated that something unexpected was going to happen. Bella jumped and grabbed my hand when the killer in the mask popped out of the closet. I suddenly saw the possibilities with this movie. With each scary scene her hands made a grab for a body part. At one point her hand gripped my upper thigh. She only realized it when she felt certain things harden.

She blushed and moved her hand. "Sorry."

I grinned. "I'm not."

That comment made her look intrigued. She smiled tentatively and moved closer. It gave me an idea.

"So, how did you enjoy baseball today?"

"It was fun. I like to see you guys let loose and just be yourselves."

"I felt bad that you couldn't really participate."

"I didn't mind."

"I thought maybe we might play our own game of baseball."

"Really?"

"Well, if I remember correctly…" I leaned in and gave her a kiss. "That is first base."

I saw from the gleam in her eye that Bella understood where I was going with this and wanted to play along.

"Why, Mr. Cullen, is there any chance you will be trying for second base?"

"Oh, Miss Swan, I think I may be trying to steal third."

She giggled and we played America's true pastime.

XXXX

I walked into the main house later that night with a stupid grin on my face. Emmett and Jasper were in front of the big screen TV playing a video game. Emmett looked up when he heard me place my keys on the granite counter.

"Hey, Edward. You look a wee bit disheveled. Just what did you and Bella get up to after the game?"

"Bella wanted to vegetate so we went back to her place and watched a movie on Netflix."

Emmett chuckled.

"What?"

"Congrats, Edward. You just had your first 'Netflix and chill' date."

Jasper joined in the laughter.

I threw one of Esme's decorative marble balls from a bowl at Emmett and it shattered into tiny pieces as it hit his stone like skin.

Jasper put down the remote and came over to me with a serious expression on his face.

"Got a sec? I wanted to talk to you about what I found tonight."

"Sure."

"I got into one of the databases tonight which made me check a few extra databases. I think there may be more than just those two murders that are connected."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I found three other similar murders in towns that surround the greater Portland area that may be connected to the two here."

"Shit."

"I know. I'm going to keep digging and see what else I can find."

He followed me out to my cottage.

"So, how did it go tonight?"

"What do you mean?"

"You guys got physical tonight, didn't you?"

"You can feel that?"

"No, Dude, I can smell it." Jasper chortled.

I slapped him upside the back of his head but he just kept laughing.

"Well, you and Emmett were right. It gets easier each time."

"But you are still worried that you might hurt her?"

"Yeah." I ran my fingers through my hair. "I'm worried that in the heat of the moment I'll lose control. I want her so much." I didn't want to tell him that when I've touched her I have sensed the monster inside of me. It hovers below the surface of the façade I show Bella, demanding to be let loose so it can claim her.

"Edward, that intensity you feel is the bond between mates. You have to trust yourself. I promise you won't hurt her."

I hoped he was right.

XXXX

BPOV

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary." Leah said as she paid for the two coffees at the kiosk near the grass area between the libraries.

"Let's just say I have a new appreciation for baseball."

Leah looked confused. "But you just umped?"

"Oh, I played later when it was just Edward and I."

Leah spat out the coffee she had just sipped.

"You slut!" She laughed as she wiped her face with a napkin. "I'm so proud of you. So, were there any homeruns?"

I threw my balled up napkin at her. "No!" Then I 'fessed up with a grin. "But things got very heated at third."

She giggled. "Well, I guess you should be thanking me for having a date last night so you had the place to yourself."

"Speaking of, what did you do last night?"

"Not nearly as much as you did." she said wryly. "Alice lent me something from Rosalie's closet back at their place. The sweet smell doesn't bother me as much now that I'm around them a lot but I was thankful it was still in the shipping plastic wrap. Once she was satisfied with my hair and makeup, she drove me to Luke's. She insisted on meeting him before she would leave so she could decide if he had her seal of approval."

"He must have loved that."

"He did look a bit dazed after he met her. Anyway, we grabbed a drink at the Copper Monkey and hung out with a couple of his frat brothers and their girlfriends."

"So, things seem to be going well with you guys."

"Yeah, he's a great guy. He mentioned something last night that concerned me though."

I raised my eyebrow.

"He noticed that when they released the picture of the girl they found last week that she looked an awful lot like you."

"Come on Leah. I'm sure it's just a coincidence. Like I've said before, at least fifty percent of the girls on campus are brunettes with brown eyes. Take away the blonde dye jobs and that stat would dramatically increase."

"Maybe. But I think it's worth raising to the Cullen's."

"Please, Leah. If you do that you know that Alice and Edward will put me on lockdown. He's finally treating me like an equal in the relationship. I don't want to turn back into the damsel in distress."

A voice across the quad interrupted what Leah was going to say.

"Bella! Lena!"

I grimaced at her deliberate dig at Leah's name. I pasted a smile on my face and said, "Lauren. How are you?"

"Great! Just great."

"Well, that's good." I could see she was hoping I would ask more questions. She looked like she was bursting to say something. "Ok, well we were just on our way to the library…"

She exploded. "I'm not supposed to tell anybody, but we've been friends for years so I know it would be fine if _you_ knew."

Since when were we friends? "That's ok. If you're supposed to keep it a secret, you don't have to tell me."

"No, no. I'm sure its fine. I'm sure you are dying to know - things are just so wonderful with my new boyfriend."

Leah said 'yeah, just dying' under her breath.

"I'm happy for you, Lauren."

"He so attentive.' She gushed as if we had asked her for details. We hadn't. "He seems to want to know everything about me. Why last night alone he made me show him our high school yearbooks. I showed him my pictures as homecoming queen, president of Models on the Move club and then as prom queen. He just loved hearing the stories about the old gang from high school. He even asked about you, Bella. Of course, I told him you were a late transfer that really didn't get too involved in the high school activities. Why your last year you were virtually invisible, weren't you?"

I didn't know what to say to that but I guessed she wasn't really looking for feedback just an audience.

"He has just been glued to my side since we started dating. I mean he's virtually moved into my place."

"Have him tied up in your room so he can't escape, do you?" Leah quipped.

Lauren glared at her. Then in a stage whisper she said, "He wants to keep the relationship just a secret between him and I right now. I think he's a bit shy. He hardly likes to leave my apartment during the day."

Satisfied that she had made someone else suitably impressed with her good fortune in boyfriends she went on to the gossip portion of her conversation.

"I heard your step-mom is close to having the baby, Bella. It must be weird to get a brother or sister so late in life. Oh, I'm sorry. Does the mention of a baby still bother you?"

"Lauren, I'm very excited to be a big sister to my new baby brother or sister. My father and Sue are thrilled to have this experience together. In the meantime, I'm lucky to have Leah and Seth to practice on. You do remember that my Dad is married to _Leah's_ mom?" I said as I pointed to Leah.

Lauren looked at Leah nonplussed for a moment. "Of course. Of course. It must make for such interesting holiday dinners."

"I'm sure they aren't anything like yours. You know, where the parents wish they had eaten their young." Leah parried back.

Lauren huffed and stomped off.

"Yup. I definitely smell brimstone."

XXXX

"Bella, what are you doing here?"

I looked up and saw Rosalie as she walked across the classroom to the child size table I sat at with my student. Tiffany was an eight-year-old that had really blossomed with the one on one tutoring attention she received. I gave Tiffany her reading assignment and told her I would be back in fifteen minutes to go through the related reading comprehension questions with her.

I tilted my head toward the door and Rosalie followed me outside to the courtyard and a cement bench so little ears couldn't hear. "I volunteer here," I said quietly. "What are you doing here?"

"Our foundation sponsors the program that you are volunteering for. The principal has asked for additional funds so Carlisle asked me to come to hear his proposal and decide if the foundation should provide the additional monies. Edward didn't mention that you tutored here."

"That's because he doesn't know. I saw a flyer on campus the first week of classes. I guess some of the schools in the area partner with the education department at the university. They were looking for volunteers to help under-served schools in the district tutor kids to get test scores up. It sounded similar to a program that I participated at La Push so I signed up. Now, I help tutor some of the kids one afternoon a week."

"I understand. I come out here a few times a month myself. I'm surprised we haven't run into each other sooner. I love working with the kids." Rosalie looked wistful.

"I know what you mean. There is nothing better than seeing their faces that moment when the light bulb goes off and you see that they get what you are trying to teach them."

We sat and chatted about the program. I told her about some of the initiatives we had tried at La Push that had really helped test scores improve.

"Wow. I'm really impressed. I didn't think that you liked kids that much before."

"I really didn't have strong feelings one way or the other back then. I'm an only child and I was never around kids much. I didn't babysit. Taking care of my Mom was a full-time job. After you guys left and I was at the reservation a lot, Sam Ulley's fiancé asked if I could fill in at La Push for one of the tutors that had to move away. I had a light course load that semester so I tried it and really enjoyed it. I've been thinking of a teaching degree as a major or a minor ever since."

"Emmett and Carlisle know how much I love children. They were the ones that pushed me to work with the foundations that support children's programs at the various places we have lived. At first I resisted. It was hard to be around something that I could never have."

I nodded my understanding.

"That was something I worried about for you and Edward."

"What do you mean?"

"I knew how much you loved him and how badly you wanted him to change you. It always worried me that you would make the decision to be changed to be with Edward at such a young age without fully realizing everything you were giving up. I knew you wanted to be changed while you were a similar age to Edward. But what you don't realize is that the things you want at eighteen aren't the necessarily the same things you want at twenty-five or thirty. Unlike the rest of us, you were making a choice to change. I didn't want you to make such a life altering decision before you realized all the possibilities that your life as a human had to offer and everything you would have had to give up."

"I understood that. I just wanted Edward more than I wanted anything else."

She nodded but didn't seem happy with my answer.

"Did Edward tell you how I came to be in this life?"

"No. I only knew that if you had a choice you would have liked to have stayed human and have a family."

"Yes. I was engaged once when I was still human. I thought I was finally going to have everything I had ever dreamt of. You see, I envied my best friend. She was married and she had a beautiful little boy named Henry. She probably would have laughed at the idea that I was jealous of her. She wasn't as pretty as me, her husband wasn't as rich or as handsome as the man I was engaged to but she had everything that I wanted. A husband and a child that loved her. I couldn't wait to get married and have the same thing."

"What happened?"

"It turned out that my fiancé was not the man I thought him to be. I stumbled across him and his drunken friends on my way home walking from my friend's house. I never expected him to attack me or to let his friends take their turn when he was done. They tore away my innocence and my dreams and left me bloodied and dying in an alley. Carlisle found me and saved me. I hated him for that at first. I hated what he made me. Most of all I hated what I would never have. I thought the only positive thing that came out of it was it gave me the ability to get revenge on my ex-fiance and his degenerate friends." She smiled at the memory.

"Even as much as I hated them, I never drank one drop of their tainted blood nor any other human's blood. Don't get me wrong; I killed them. I felt like I was doing all women a service by making sure they could never do what they did to me to another girl. But I never touched their blood. You don't know this but that is a true feat for someone that is a new born."

I just stared at Rosalie. I had to admit that at that moment she was a bit scary.

"I punished Carlisle and Edward with incessant complaints and spoiled behavior trying to make them as miserable as I was until one day I came across a bloodied young man in the forest. He was huge and muscled but was no match for a bear. I carried him back to Carlisle and begged him to save him. I asked him to change him. That bloodied mess was Emmett and that was the point I stopped hating the second chance that Carlisle gave me. Now my only regret is the lack of possibilities. I'll never have the possibility of carrying his child. I'll never have the possibility of growing old with him surrounded by our children and grandchildren. We are forever frozen."

"Rosalie, the loss of possibilities could have happened even as a human. Believe me."

"Would you still be willing to give up having children to be like him? To be with him?"

"Well, that's not really an issue now."

"Why not? You don't still want to be changed?"

"I can't have children."

"No, not if you choose to stay with Edward. But you could with someone else."

"No, I _physically_ can't have children."

"I don't understand."

"I was injured after you left Forks. The injuries were too severe. I was told I wouldn't be able to have children."

Rosalie looked shocked and saddened. She gathered me up in her arms.

"Oh, Bella, I'm so sorry."

After a few moments, she released me.

"You know, after James attacked me I regretted that Edward didn't just let the venom spread. It's true that I didn't think of everything I would be giving up to be like Edward. I never thought about having children or not having children. They were something that someone did so far in the future it didn't really mean that much to me. But you are right, as I got a couple of years older I may have thought of children less abstractedly. While I never specifically thought of having a baby, having the choice taken away made it more of a loss."

Rosalie nodded. I guessed we had finally found something that we shared in common.

"Enough of this. Come on, let's get back to the kids."

XXXX

"Did Alice tell you where Edward is taking me?"

Leah laid on my bed as she watched me run around my room like a chicken without a head. "Nope. She said she knew I would tell if she gave me a hint. I have to admit she was probably right."

I was excited about this weekend with Edward. It felt like something normal couples did together. I loved Alice but I put together an overnight bag just in case. I threw in some toiletries. A new tooth brush. I then grabbed some underwear and stuffed them into the small bag.

"Tell me you are not taking those." Leah said as she pointed to the faded pink pieces of material.

"What? What's wrong with my lingerie?"

"That is not lingerie. Those are granny panties at best and small sails at worse." She laid them out on the bed like they were Exhibit A in a court room trial of the murder of good taste.

I looked down at the sad scraps of material.

"Why are they off-pink?" Leah asked.

"Charlie decided to help with the laundry once. He mixed a red shirt with my whites."

"And you didn't think of throwing them away afterwards?"

"They didn't have holes," I said as if that explained everything. She looked at me with a pitying expression. "They were just an off color." I tried to defend myself one more time.

Leah shook her head in disgust. "Let me get this straight. The love of your life is taking you for your first romantic weekend alone together and you think those faded pink bloomers are a good idea?"

I looked at Leah and then I looked at the underwear. I grabbed them off the bed and tossed them in the trash can in the bathroom. I marched back to my dresser and dug around in the back of my drawer until I found what I was looking for. I held up the thongs that still had tags on them in triumph and then and looked pointedly at Leah.

"Ok, that is a bit better. Now, what about your lady bits?"

"What about my lady bits?"

"Bella, Bella, quite contrary how does your garden grow?"

"Huh?"

"When is the last time you landscaped your lady bits?"

My face went beet red. _Just shoot me_.

"You don't have to say anything. I can see the answer by the expression on your face." She jumped off the bed and grabbed her wallet and car keys. "Come on. I just happen to know a salon that caters to the University booty call niche market. One of the girls I met with Luke and his fraternity brother mentioned it when we did one of those girly bathroom runs. It is open late for just such an emergency."

An hour later I walked stiffly into the apartment.

"Don't be so dramatic. You'll be fine in a day."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on. It wasn't that bad."

I glared at her.

"I've never been so embarrassed in my life."

"It was for a good cause. And now we both know just how bendy you are. Edward is a lucky guy!"

"And that? You couldn't let them do that without you in the room?"

"Come on, we're sisters now. No secrets. Besides, we both know that if I hadn't stayed you would have wimped out and left looking like something out of a 1970's bad adult movie."

I shook my head and gingerly walked to my room and shut the door to nurse my wounded lady bits and what was left of my dignity.


	32. Chapter 32 - Weekend Getaway

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer: I** don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire. Thank you to my 400th reviewer, Missoboe. I can't tell you how motivating each review is and how much fun it is to read your comments and theories. I appreciate all the positive feedback.

Parts of this story are true. If you want to find out which are real, read the author note at the end of this chapter.

 **Chapter 32 – Weekend Getaway**

"You look beautiful," Edward said with a heated look as he kissed my cheek. I swear I tingled all over from just that little contact.

I looked down at my school sweatshirt and jeans and questioned his eyesight. "I dressed comfortably if not fashionably since I didn't know how long we would be in the car."

Edward smiled mysteriously. He grabbed the small bag I put together for essentials. Edward walked me to the Audi and said playfully, "And the fun starts now."

I was excited for this weekend alone together. Edward hopped on the highway and I settled in for what I expected would be a long ride. I was surprised to see Edward exit the highway after only a few minutes. We drove down a side road and he stopped at a gate outside of what looked like an airport for commercial cargo and private planes. He gave the gate guard both of our IDs and we were waived through to a hangar where a very large plane stood with no logo on it to identify it with an airline.

"Edward, what is going on?"

Edward just smiled. A man greeted Edward deferentially. He took Edward's keys and escorted us to the stairs of the plane. "Everything is as you requested Mr. Cullen." He gave me a discreet look obviously trying to figure out what this gorgeous man was doing with such a train wreck in jeans and a sweatshirt. Edward narrowed his eyes at the man and he quickly looked away. "Enjoy your flight, sir."

Edward led me up to the stairs to the private jet and a flight attendant was there to welcome us aboard and offer us a drink. I was dazed. The interior of the plane looked sleek and expensive. Edward escorted me to one of the leather couches and helped me buckle in. Before I could get out a coherent question, the door was closed and the pilots announced that we were cleared for takeoff.

"Edward, just where are we going?"

Edward finally answered my question. "I want to give you the world, Bella. I thought I would start with Paris."

"Paris?!"

Edward smiled, clearly thrilled with my reaction.

"You know commercial would have been fine."

He smirked. "I don't want to offend your economic sensibilities but it's easier to fly private for such a long flight. Remember, vampires don't do really well with so many humans in an enclosed area. Besides, we own the plane."

"Get out!"

Crap! How much money did you have to have to own your own plane?

"Emmett convinced Carlisle it made more sense to have a few planes for family use. When we don't need them our foundations use them. Most of the time we lend them out to our charities or outside charities like Make a Wish or Doctors without Borders."

"How many are a few planes?"

"Three. They vary by size and purpose. This one we use for long hauls. We can get to Europe without having to refuel."

Holy crap.

"It's just things, Bella. They don't mean anything. They just make hiding in plain sight easier. And like I said, we try to put them to good use when the family doesn't need them."

A bell sound went off and the captain announced that we were free to move around the cabin. Edward took his time unbuckling my safety belt. I raised an eyebrow at him and he just gave me a cheeky smile. My heart melted. He grabbed my hand and said, "Let me show you around."

He led me to the kitchen that was surprisingly well equipped. He gave me a rundown of the entertainment available on the plane. He then took me to the back of the plane and opened a door.

"This is the bedroom if you get tired and want to lay down. I would recommend trying to get a few hours of sleep so you won't have such a hard time with the time change." I nodded as I looked around the room. It was beautifully decorated in luxurious shades of blue and white to go with the silver accents of the plane. There was another TV with a seating area and then a bed. Edward pointed to another door in the room which he explained was a private restroom with a shower.

The flight was amazing. We spent the start of it in the main cabin cuddling on the couch, talking while a movie played on the big screen TV in the background. Edward guilted me into eating the gourmet meal the flight attendant set out. It wasn't long before the rich food and the drone of the plane made me drowsy. Edward noticed and whispered in my ear. "Would you like to lay down?"

I nodded and he helped me up and led me to the bedroom. He pulled back the comforter. Edward looked uncertain for a moment and then in a rush asked, "Could I hold you while you sleep?"

I looked at him for a long moment and then slowly nodded. We got into the bed together and Edward used the comforter as a buffer between me and his cold chest. "No," I said as I pushed away the comforter. "I want to feel you. The sweatshirt will be enough."

He spooned me and I felt the comfort of his arms tighten around me. He breathed in my hair and sighed.

"Is my scent bothering you?"

"No, my love. I just can get enough of you."

"You haven't held me like this since Forks. I kind of expected you to do one of you window entrances these last few months."

"Well, I won't say I haven't thought of it. The family had a lot to say about my….," he paused, "How did they put it? Oh yes, my stalkerish ways."

I giggled.

"I've missed this more than you can know. I loved holding you while you slept. I loved waiting to see what you would blurt out while you were asleep."

I rubbed the arm that was snaked around my waist. I could almost hear a purr with each stroke. I had missed this too. In many ways it felt more intimate than what we had done after the baseball game.

He kissed the back of my neck and said, "I love you." I went to sleep with his sweet breath fanning my ear.

XXXX

We arrived in Paris a little after 1:00 pm Paris time. We cleared customs and a chauffeured Mercedes waited outside to take us into the city center. I was grateful that Edward suggested sleeping on the plane but I think I would have been wide awake from excitement even if I hadn't. Edward had asked the driver to take the scenic route so my nose was practically pressed against the window of the car as I took in all the sites.

We left the Peripherique and it wasn't long before we were in the round about by the Arc de Triomphe. It was mass chaos. While everyone should have been going in the same direction, it looked like cars were going in the opposite direction as they tried to exit the circle at the same time other cars entered it. Our driver had mad skills. With deft maneuvering and only a minimal amount of rude hand gestures but judicious use of the horn, he exited the circle and drove down the Champs Elysees. I was charmed by the store fronts, the grand hotels and the sidewalk cafes. Then laughed at the sight of McDonalds.

Edward pointed out the American Embassy. We drove down a couple of side streets and then I saw the Seine. "Edward, look!" I squealed in delight as we passed the Louvre. We drove a little further and I saw the spires of Notre Dame. The car went over a small bridge and we were on what looked like a little island in the middle of Paris with the most quaint shops and buildings.

"Where are we?"

"The Ile Saint-Louise."

The driver stopped in front of a five story cream stone building. We got out of the car and walked up to the wrought iron fronted double doors guarded by incredible stone carvings of dragons that held up a wrought iron balcony above the entranceway. Edward took my hand and an older woman in a black dress and a chic scarf greeted us.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Cullen. If you would like to follow me, I have some refreshments inside for you and your guest. Henri will take care of the bags."

Henri was evidently the driver of the Mercedes.

We walked into the stone entranceway and instead of walking into a lobby of a hotel as I expected we were in a grand foyer of what appeared to be a private residence. An architectural gem of a staircase spiraled around to each level like the inside of a nautilus shell. We walked up one flight of stairs and into a formal living room where a tea service was laid out on an antique table along with some bottled water, cheese, fruit and crackers.

"Merci, Madame Hubert. I would like to present to you Mademoiselle Swan."

"It is a pleasure." She said in a charming French accent. She had that effortless grace that French women always seemed to exude. "I hope you will be comfortable here during your stay. If you need anything, please pick up one of the telephones and dial zed and it will ring in the servant's quarters."

Servants? I felt like I was in the twilight zone.

"Well, if you and your guest don't need anything further I will be in my quarters. Should I plan to cook dinner for you this evening?"

"That would be lovely."

She nodded and closed the doors as she backed out of the room.

I looked around the room in a daze. It had high ceilings, a fresco and walls adorned with the most elegant molding. "This isn't a hotel is it?" I asked slowly.

"No. Alice and Jasper own this apartment. We use it when we travel to Paris together or when one of us wants to come here on our own. Alice finds it convenient for Paris fashion weeks."

"Of course she does."

He grinned at my dry tone. Edward poured me some water and I grabbed a couple of grapes off the fruit tray. "I read somewhere that you should hydrate after such a long flight." I thanked him for the water and took a sip as he asked, "So would you like to rest or freshen up and sight see?"

"Sight see!" He laughed at my enthusiasm and when he was satisfied I had a few of the snacks off the tray he showed me to an elegant bedroom on the third floor. Would we share the room? I only saw one bag.

"This is your suite," he said with a sweep of his arm. I wasn't sure if I was disappointed or not. It was an emotional few weeks but it had felt so right sleeping in his arms on the plane.

"Why don't you see what Alice packed for you and I'll meet you downstairs. By the way, she said that in addition to the suit case she packed she had some more formal items sent directly to the apartment. I think you will find Mme. Hubert has hung them up in the armoire."

Edward left the room and I explored. There was a luxurious bathroom in the room. It was modern but still kept to the elegant charm of the historic building. There was a balcony that overlooked a hidden garden in the back. I walked back in the room and spotted the armoire. Out of curiosity, I opened it and found a variety of designer dresses, coats, shirts and slacks. There were shoes on the bottom of the armoire that were purchased to match each of the selections. I shook my head in disbelief. I went over to the suitcase and I found lingerie and a few simple items more in line with my fashion sensibility. On top was a note from the fashion fairy.

" _Bella, I hope you enjoy the clothes I had Mme. Hubert leave in your room. It gave me so much fun to pick them out for you, I hope they give you joy wearing them as you have these few days alone with Edward. I packed a few more traditional items, for in the immortal words of Coco Chanel, 'Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury.' Have fun and thank you for bringing love back to my brother's life."_

Packed near the note were a pair of sneakers. Alice knew me too well.

I changed into something comfortable and Edward and I decided to start seeing Paris by foot. The day was overcast enough that Edward didn't have to worry he would sparkle. It was fairly similar to the weather we left in Portland. Except, Portland didn't have the Eiffel Tower!

We walked to the end of the long street and crossed the pedestrian bridge to the Ile de la Cite to see Notre Dame. The stain glass windows were stunning and I tapped into my Disney cartoon memories as Edward pointed out the different gargoyle statues that guarded the exterior of the building. We walked across another bridge over the Seine. Edward held my hand as he pointed out different things of interest. We stopped at one of the green wooden boxed vendors that lined the sidewalk. Each box had a different set of goods. Some sold books, some old magazines, others sold post cards, posters and tourist memorabilia. The vendors seemed indifferent to our interest in their wares.

I looked at a few books but nothing caught my eye. The same couldn't be said for the woman beside me. She took one look at Edward and seemed entranced. She was stunning but Edward didn't even notice her. He kept telling me a funny story of Jasper pushing Emmett into the Seine the last time the family had visited Paris together. He was dazzling when he smiled. I had never seen him so relaxed and happy. "In retaliation, Emmett had Rosalie take apart Jaspers favorite car and reassemble it in Alice and Jasper's bedroom when we got back to the States. Needless to say, Esme was not pleased."

We passed a café with some outdoor tables and chairs and a stand for crepes. A young woman with a child in a stroller had just purchased a crepe for her toddler. She handed it to him and turned her back to the child as she waited for a second crepe for herself. As the mother's back was turned small birds aggressively went after the crepe in the toddler's hand. A game of tug of war ensued between the birds and the child. The birds were so aggressive the child finally dropped the crepe to the sidewalk. The birds descended on it like miniature buzzards. The child started to cry at either the loss of his treat or in fear of the birds. The mother turned around and assumed the child had carelessly dropped the crepe. To the child's surprise, she scolded him. The child looked at his mother, looked at the birds and then looked at his mother with an expression of dismay at the injustice of it all.

"That poor kid. Did you see his expression?"

"See it. You should see the images in his head!"

Edward stopped in front of the stand and in flawless French ordered a crepe for the distraught child and miffed mother. He spoke to the mother as he presented the newly made crepe. He must have explained what happened with the birds because the mother looked very contrite, shooed off the remaining birds and made sure nothing happened to the replacement crepe.

I bumped into his shoulder as we walk away. "My hero!"

Edward just smiled and grabbed my hand. We walked by a park and I started to see signs for the Louvre. I was so excited I almost looked like Alice when she found vintage. We bypassed the staggering long line near the glass pyramid and entered the Carousel entrance near an underground mall. "A trick we learned to avoid the lines." Edward said when we gave our entry tickets to the bored looking guard.

As we walked up the stairs to the first floor he explained we wouldn't have enough time to do a detail tour but he would show me the highlights and then if we wanted to come back another day we could. He led me to a long hall way that had A LOT of religious paintings by some very famous and not so famous painters. I learned that I didn't care for the religious paintings so we skipped those altogether. We passed the Winged Goddess of Nike midway up one of the stairwells. The statue was headless but I could appreciate the beauty of her form and outstretched wings. I could almost see the wind blowing her gown in the detail of the carving. Our next statue had a head but was armless. It was the statue of Venus de Milo.

"Edward, I'm not convinced that these artists had ever seen a naked woman before carving these statues. Seriously, those breasts do not look like they have been carved based on a female model."

"It's very likely they weren't." The conversation then moved on to the difference between Greek statues and Roman statues.

"Professor Spann said that Roman statues typically have a tree stump or something similar on the bottom of the statues because they had a hard time getting the statues to balance unlike the Greeks."

We then wandered room to room until we found the Mona Lisa. We fought our way to get a closer look at the famous painting. "Now don't be disappointed if it isn't as big as you were expecting." Edward warned.

I thought it looked about the size I expected. "It's really painted on wood?"

"Yes. They say the eyes follow you as you move from side to side." We tried it and then laughed at the silliness. Tired of fighting the aggressive tourists we moved on to another room that had a portrait of Napoleon's coronation. "They didn't have cameras to commemorate these types of historical events back then so an artist was commissioned to memorialize it for posterity. Unfortunately, you can't take the picture as historical fact. Some of the people in the painting weren't even present for the coronation. For example, there is Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's older brother. They had a falling out and he didn't attend the coronation but was painted in."

We wandered through a few other rooms and I stopped at a picture that caught my eye. Edward looked at me questioningly. The painting was beautiful but eerie. It was titled "Le Jeune Martyre" or the Young Martyr by Paul Delaroche. It depicted a woman in a filmy dress floating on her back on a lake or a river with her eyes closed. Her face and her body were illuminated with a celestial light as a halo floated above her head. A man and a horse could be seen in the shadows of the background. I turned to Edward and asked him sadly, "Do you think he was the one that killed her or is he the man that loves her and is about to find her dead?"

Edward looked it up on the Louvre app. "It is supposed to depict a Christian martyr floating in the Tiber during Roman times. That's actually a man and a woman embracing in grief after finding her."

I nodded. The picture made me sad but it was awe inspiringly beautiful. I grabbed Edward's hand and we worked our way downward until we toured the Egyptian artifacts. The museum was fascinating and we barely scraped the surface before the museum closed. Edward smiled down at me. "Don't worry, we'll come back again. I promise."

I kissed his cheek and we strolled home as we blended with the other young lovers that seemed to wander around the city. By the time we, or rather I, finished dinner back at the apartment, I was almost asleep at my plate. "Alright, sleep time for the human." I gave him a drowsy smile and let him carry me up to the bedroom. He set me on the bed and then turned to leave. I grabbed his hand and stopped him.

"Stay with me?"

He stood silent for a minute. He smiled and gave me the most loving look. "Always."

I woke up the next morning but Edward wasn't in the bed. It was the second night he held me while I slept. It was wonderful to sleep through the night without a nightmare. A note was on the bedside table with my name on it in Edward's calligraphic script. "Well, if Alice loses all their money in the stock market, he can always fall back on addressing wedding invitations."

"The only wedding invitations I plan to address is ours." Edward said carrying a cup of coffee and croissant. My stomach clenched at his casual reference to us getting married.

He sat on the side of the bed and handed me his offering. "Breakfast in bed for the Mademoiselle."

"Thank you, kind sir."

"How would you like to see Versailles today?"

"Is it far from the city?"

"Not at all. It's actually a suburb of the city. And the best part is that on certain days they turn on the fountains that are scattered throughout the grounds. They also pipe in classical music."

"And this is one of those days?"

"It is."

We spent the day touring Versailles. Edward packed a picnic and I ate lunch as we sat on the grass of the extensive landscaped grounds and watched the water show. The sound of the water and the music was soothing.

"I swear I almost died when that American tourist said, _'Earl, ain't this even prettier than Graceland?"_

I laughed but then got serious.

"Thank you." I said quietly.

"For what? Not straightening Earl's toupee?"

"For all of this." I said sincerely. "For loving me."

"Bella, loving you has always been easy. Now I'm just working on making you happy."

xxxxx

Edward begged me to dress up that night in one of the gowns that Alice bought me. I chose the black sheath dress that had a note on it from Alice.

" _Dear Bella, as Karl Lagerfeld said,_ ' _One is never over-dressed or underdressed with a Little Black Dress.' If you choose this dress, wear the silver stilettos. You'll thank me for it, I promise._

Edward surprised me with a romantic dinner in the Eiffel Tower. Edward made a show of moving his food around but we looked like the other young couples out for a romantic night; more interested in each other than the food. We then took a private river tour down the Seine. Edward stood behind me wrapping his arms around me at the railing of the boat and we watched the buildings go by.

"Cold?"

"Nope."

I laid my head back on his chest and tried to memorize this moment.

"Tired?"

"Nope."

"What are you?"

"Happy."

He tightened his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.

The Mercedes was waiting for us when the boat docked. I was grateful. I didn't have faith in my ability to walk home on the cobbled streets in three inch stilettos. I didn't want to end the trip prematurely in an emergency room. Edward tucked me into the car and I dropped my head on his shoulder during the short drive back to the apartment. We didn't speak. We were content to just savor the closeness.

Again, he carried me up the staircase to my room and again I asked him to stay. He nodded. This time, however, I pushed him to the bed and told him to sit down. I then stood in front of him and slowly lowered the straps of the black silk sheath dress from my shoulders. In one swoop, the dress was gone and I was standing in front of Edward in just my lacy underwear and the silver stilettos. His eyes darkened and I think I heard a growl.

I smiled inwardly. I took his hands in mine and pulled him to his feet. I looked into his eyes and then I unbuttoned his dress shirt. He dragged in an unnecessary breath as I made my way down button by button. When I finally had it parted, I slid my hands under the open shirt and to the tops of his shoulders. I slowly pushed the shirt down his arms until it dropped to his feet.

"Bella," Edward moaned.

"Shhhhh." I said to him. I didn't want to take the chance we would ruin this by saying the wrong words.

He pulled me into him so our chests were touching. His body was cool but I didn't care. I had wanted this for so long with him. He kissed my lips. When I wanted to deepen it, he pulled back and moved to my throat.

"We can't." He whispered but laved at my neck.

I nodded just glad he hadn't stopped. I worked my hands between our bodies and unbuckled his belt and then his pants.

He stepped back from me and said, "Are you sure about this?"

I nodded. "I have never been more sure of anything in my life."

He took his pants off and he stood before me in his black boxer briefs. He was like a statue of a Greek god and I wanted to worship every inch of him.

He came back to me and kissed me again. I could feel how much he wanted me pressed into my stomach. He worked his way down my chest and unhooked my black lace bra. He inhaled. Hard. His mouth found one of my nipples and my knees almost buckled.

"God, you are exquisite." He said giving attention to my other nipple.

I held his head to my chest. I ran my fingers through his hair and that only seemed to excite him more. He lifted me up by the waist and placed me on the bed. I scooted up to the top of the bed and he followed me. He looked into my eyes and said, "Bella, I want you so much but I'm scared I might hurt you."

I held his gaze and hoped he could hear the longing in my voice, "Edward, the only thing that would hurt me now is if you stopped."

If looks could melt, I would have been a puddle. He went back to my chest. He pressed kisses down my abdomen until he got to the top of my black lace panties. This was the Edward I had always longed for years ago. One that could show me his passion, his desire.

"I don't think we will be needing these any longer." And he pulled on the side of the scrap of lace.

I heard the rip and then they were gone. Oh my, that was hot.

"I'm feeling awfully naked here. It seems that turnaround is only fair."

"As you wish." He smiled and complied.

"Wait, my shoes are still on."

Edward looked at the stilettos and then looked at me and smiled. "I know," he said with most wicked voice. _Thank you, Alice._ Seconds later his head dipped back to my abdomen and I couldn't care less if I had on cowboy boots. I just didn't want him to stop. I clenched his hair as he worked his way down. I almost fainted when his tongue touched my center.

The next morning I woke up to feathers. Feathers everywhere. Edward was lying beside me covered in feathers with a bemused look on his face.

"Why are there feathers everywhere?"

"I think I bit your pillow the first time and my pillow the third time," he said ruefully.

I laughed. I turned over to my side I noticed groove marks on the slay bed. "What happened there?"

"Don't ask."

"Um, I don't think Jasper and Alice are going to let us stay here again."

"Oh, I think Alice will give us a pass."

As if on cue my phone buzzed and Alice texted, ' _Already picking out new furniture and bedding. Be happy.'_ My face went beet red. I showed Edward the text and he just laughed. Then he turned serious for a moment.

"Are you ok? Did I hurt you?"

I loved this man so much. "Edward, I promise you didn't hurt me. Last night was wonderful."

"Last night was the most amazing night of my existence."

"Mine too," I smiled at him.

He kissed my forehead and said, "What would you like to do today?"

I gave him a cheeky smile and he laughed and fell back into bed with me. Feathers flew everywhere to my chagrin.

"Tell you what. Why don't we let Mme. Hubert clean this up and I'll be happy to make your every wish come true later when we aren't trying to make love in a chicken coop?"

I agreed, although I wasn't sure how I was going to face Mme. Hubert after this mess.

"How do you feel about Monet?"

"I love Monet."

"Great, then I know just the place."

XXXX

We spent the afternoon touring the Musee d'Orsay. The building was amazing. It was a mix of brick and industrial style. We climbed the metal stairs to the second floor and Edward took pictures of me in front of the glass clock face. I roamed a bit while he grabbed some pamphlets.

I stopped at a picture and turned beat red. The picture was titled 'L'Origine du monde' or 'The Origin of the World'. It was an oil painting of a close up of a woman's genitals. I winced. She had obviously never been dragged to The Bare Bush Beaver Waxing Salon by _her_ stepsister before posing for that picture. After seeing that painting, I said a silent thank you to Leah.

I quickly returned to the gift shop area and found Edward as he walked towards me waiving the pamphlets. I liked this museum better than Louvre because so many of the paintings were pictures I recognized. Leah had a poster of one of Monet's water lily paintings hanging on her wall in our apartment. I loved the Monet's, although the ones in this museum were mostly just his pastels. I liked the Manets and the Dega's. I was entranced by the blues in the Renoirs.

We walked back down to the first floor and I was mesmerized by one particular portrait. It was titled, Portrait de Madame Rimsky Korsakov. She was beautiful with long brown hair tumbling down one shoulder and dressed in a lacy white dress with blue ribbon accents. She had a mysterious expression as she looked over her shoulder out into the distance.

"She reminds me of you. She has your beautiful pale peaches and cream skin and your incredible chestnut brown hair."

I was flattered by the comparison. "She looks like she just got out of her lover's bed."

He snaked his arms around me and whispered in my ear, "Then she really reminds me of you."

I loved this man.

We walked home hand in hand and Edward stopped at a quaint coffee house a block away from the apartment. The sign read Berthillon.

"Would you like to stop for some coffee or a hot chocolate?"

"Hot chocolate sounds wonderful."

The shop was elegant and smelled incredible. It was every American's fantasy of a Parisian bake shop filled with smartly dressed people and baked goods to die for. Edward ordered me a molten lava cake with some ice cream, a hot coco and some water. He watched me in great amusement as I sighed and moaned with every bite and sip.

"I'm almost jealous of that ice cream."

"Don't be. You taste better."

We walked out of the bakery and wandered into the few tourist shops open that day. I picked up gifts for Leah, Sue, Seth and Charlie. Edward picked up a few things for the girls in his family. We took our newly purchased treasures and the bakery doggy bag he insisted on buying me and finally walked through the doors of the apartment. Edward and I looked at each other and with a grin we raced up to the bedroom.

XXXX

I was sad to see the trip end as the plane touched down in Oregon. This was one of the happiest few days of my life and I didn't want anything to spoil it. I think Edward felt the same way because he just held me most of the flight home.

Jasper was waiting for us when the plane door opened. He waited for customs to complete their checks before greeting us.

"Bella, I hope you had a nice trip."

"It was incredible. Thank you so much for letting us use your place."

"Our pleasure. Alice was looking for an excuse to redecorate." I blushed and Jasper just smiled.

"Are the girls back?"

He nodded. "They got back last night loaded down with packages. I think you will find they brought a few things back for you."

Jasper got serious for a moment. He seemed to be communicating something silently to Edward.

"Is everything ok?" I asked tentatively.

Edward sighed. "No. Jasper and his contacts found more evidence that the murders of the two University students may be linked to other murders outside of Portland."

"Why does that concern you?"

"Because he thinks they may be the work of a vampire."

 **A/N 1:** I didn't get too detailed in the love scene because of the rating and to be consistent with Stephanie Meyer's style. However, if you want an outtake with Edward's point of view or a more detailed version in which I raise the rating, leave a review.

 **A/N 2** : I used to travel to Paris for work so please note that: (1) The scene with the bird really happened when I was in Paris. I felt so bad for the little boy I had to immortalize his plight. (2) The blurb about Earl really happened when I was on a tour of Versailles, except it was two American couples that must have met at a toupee convention and became fast friends and travel companions. (3) I took poetic license with the day the fountains are on at Versailles with the classical music. They do the fountains and the music one Sunday a month. (4) The bakery, Berthillon, is real, has the best ice cream in Paris and I would recommend taking the time to visit it if you are ever in Paris. (5) If you ever want to skip the line at the Louvre, take the metro entrance which will lead you to the Carousel entrance. There is a little mall and food court before you enter the museum. (6) The paintings I described (The Young Martyr at the Louvre and the Portrait de Madame Rimsky Korsakov at Musee D'Orsay) are two of my favorite pictures. (7) The Origin of the World painting is real and I too blushed when I saw it. More because I wasn't expecting it. You pass it and it is like "Hello!". I was with a bunch of girls when I saw it the first time which did in fact trigger a whole discussion on whether to wax or not to wax. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	33. Chapter 33 - Post Mortem

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire. Sorry for the delay. Hope you like the chapter.

 **Chapter 33 – Post Mortem**

BPOV

Jasper looked surprised that Edward was telling me the high points of their silent communication.

"Bella should have all the facts as well."

Jasper smiled at Edward's words and nodded in agreement. "I'm still gathering information. I should have more evidence in a few days. Carlisle thought you would want to know our preliminary thoughts and that we need to monitor the situation."

"Why?" I asked.

"We need to know if any rogue vampires are hunting in our territory." Edward answered me. He then turned back to Jasper. "So, you came out here to tell us that?"

"No, I came out to meet you because Leah is still at the house and I have been ordered to bring you both home so the girls can interrogate Bella on your trip. Bella, I apologize for my wife in advance. They also plan to make you model everything they bought you. Alice seemed to think you might try to duck out from the family so she picked up your car the other day. I have Carlisle's Mercedes."

Edward looked at me apologetically but I just gave him a resigned smile and shrugged.

Jasper and Edward excused themselves to talk to the pilots. I walked over to the car and turned on my cell phone for the first time since we left for Paris. The phone lit up and pinged like the old pinball machine at the Forks diner.

Crap! I had multiple text messages and missed calls.

I was a coward and checked the text messages first. I was shocked to see a text from Charlie. I didn't think Charlie even knew how to text.

 _Billswhereareyou?ohdamnithowdoyoudoaspace_

Ok, I was right. Charlie didn't know how to text.

Crap! Crap! I called Charlie before Edward had picked me up for the weekend but I didn't tell him that I was going out of town. I couldn't exactly explain that Edward was back in my life. I usually called him on Sundays and I forgot while we were in Paris. I looked down the list. Charlie had obviously got Seth's help.

 _Hey Bells, Charlie can't text to save his life so he asked me to text you to give him a call. Did you know he couldn't figure out the space bar? I was going to tell him to "Google it" but he has guns. Do me a favor and call him._

Two hours later, he texted again.

 _Charlie needs you to call him as soon as you can._

The next text came only an hour later.

 _Call Charlie, he's driving me crazy._

I read the next one and thought, oh crap.

 _Can't get a hold of Leah either. Charlie is losing his cookies and threatening to drive to Portland if you don't call him ASAP._

It was only thirty minutes before Seth texted the next message.

 _Where are you guys? The 'rents are losing it. Call them!_

The next message came in the next day.

 _Got Leah but she hasn't seen you since last night when she left you at the Library. Is this the library-library or a bar called The Library? :P Charlie is ready to call the Portland police. So sober up and call him if you don't want some men in blue knocking on your door!_

The final messages were from Leah.

 _Seth tracked me down and I called my Mom. Hope you can check messages wherever E whisked you away to. Charlie wants to hear from you._

 _Wow. Alice finally told me you are in Paris. You lucky you know what. Come up for air and call your Dad. I told him you had a big project due and were living at the library this weekend and that is why you have been hard to reach._

 _Check in with Charlie. Told him you pulled an all-nighter with your study group at the library. Call him._

Before I had a chance to call, my phone chimed out the ominous sounds of the Darth Vader theme. I winced. This was not going to be pretty but I sucked it up and swiped the screen.

"Bells, where the hell have you been?"

"I'm sorry, Dad. I was studying at the library all weekend and they make you turn off your phone or they fine you. I just finished up and turned on my phone when I saw Seth's texts."

"Well thank God you girls are ok. When you didn't call over the weekend I got worried with everything that is happening. Have you heard anything new?"

"You probably know more than we do."

"Look, I want you girls to call or text Sue or I at least twice a day until they catch whoever is doing this."

"Dad, we're fine."

"Bells, just do this for me. It's hard enough to have you both so far away. Give us some peace of mind by checking in on a regular basis."

"Fine. What times do you want the calls or texts?" I tilted my head for a moment and then said with a cheeky grin, "Do we need a special code word so you know that the texts are really from us?" I joked.

He was quiet for a minute. "That's actually a good idea."

I rolled my eyes and sighed. We agreed on the check in times and the code words. I asked him how Sue was doing and he assured me that she was doing much better. I told him I would call him at the preset check in time and I hung up just as I noticed that Edward had finished with Jasper and walked over to the car.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked politely. I nodded and Edward opened my door.

"Charlie?"

"Yeah. He was not happy. He tried calling Leah and I and was concerned when he couldn't get ahold of us. Luckily, Leah spoke to him and covered for me."

Edward and Jasper caught up while I looked out the window and watched the trees go by as we drove down the highway to the Cullen's estate. The feeling of wellbeing we had when we left Paris diminished with each mile. The reality of the problems we left behind were front and center if Jasper was correct. It felt like every time Edward and I were in a good place something bad popped up to ruin it.

Ten minutes later, Jasper pulled the car into one of the garage bays. Edward held back as Jasper went into the house. Once we were alone, Edward got out and ran around the car in a blink of an eye and offered his hand. As soon as I had straightened up from the car he boxed me in against the open doorway and gave me tiny kisses down my neck. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes as he took in my scent. He straightened away from me and then gave me a regretful look.

"I'm so sorry this is how our trip had to end. I was hoping to take you home so I could make love to you again."

To be honest, I expected the night to end with me unpacking my suitcase and doing laundry. I liked his plan much better. I smiled and caressed his chiseled jaw. "Well, you know what they say? We'll always have Paris."

He chuckled at the old movie reference and dropped his forehead against mine.

I reached up and kissed his nose. "Come on. Let's get this over with and maybe there will still be time to end the evening with what you had in mind."

He nodded, grabbed the bags with the presents for the family and we walked into the house hand in hand. The entire family and Leah were in the family room. We were greeted with hugs and handshakes as everyone spoke at once.

Alice grabbed me in a hug squealing, "Oh my god, I'm so glad you're home I want to hear everything? Did you love Paris? Which outfits did you wear?"

Before I could answer, Rosalie dragged me from Alice's arms and hugged me. "Did you have fun? Did you visit Versailles? Did he take you on a river cruise?"

Before I could do more than nod at Rosalie, Leah grabbed me and whispered in my ear, "I want every detail! Don't even think about holding out on me."

Jasper, sensing my uncomfortableness interceded on my behalf. "Come on, ladies. Give her chance to breathe before you start the inquisition. Bella and Edward just walked through the door."

I gave him a grateful smile and then looked across the room. I could see Edward as he was passed around from Carlisle to Esme. She straightened his shirt collar and then his hair as if she couldn't stop touching him. It was such a Mom thing that I could help but smile.

Then Emmett's voice boomed out, "So Edward, did you give Bella your flower?"

"Emmett!" Esme yelled as she slapped the back of his head. He hunched his shoulders but just laughed. "Leave your brother alone."

Edward smiled sheepishly and I think I heard Jasper say in a sotto voice that his flower was truly plucked.

I turned red in embarrassment. Emmett came over to hug me. Then he brushed an imaginary tear from his eye and said, "Thanks for finally making my little brother a man."

This time Rosalie slapped the back of his head.

"Hey! I'm just saying."

Everyone just ignored him and started to ask questions at the same time. We caught up with everyone telling them what we did and some of the things we saw. "You had to see this poor kid in the stroller when his mom scolded him for dropping the crepe. He looked so pissed."

"Those small birds are super aggressive in Paris." Emmett said.

Rosalie laughed. "They freak Emmett out. I almost played badminton with one with the palm of my hand trying to save the big oaf. Can you imagine if they teamed up with the squirrels in the quad at school?"

We told them about Earl and his wife and then joked around for a while longer as we handed out the presents we bought for everyone. I let Leah taste the last of the treats from the bakery near the apartment.

"Oh my god, I think this pastry is better than sex." Leah whispered to me.

"Then you aren't doing it right," Emmett said as he skipped out of head slapping reach. Damn Vampire hearing.

Esme glared at Emmett and then scolded Leah for filling up on sweets. She scurried around the kitchen and put together a light meal for both Leah and I. I hadn't realized I was hungry until I smelled the grilled cheese sandwiches and the tomato soup. Leah and I ate as Alice and Rosalie told me about their shopping weekend.

"When we exhausted the shops we went back to the hotel. A courier knocked at the door with an envelope. Jasper and Emmett surprised us with concert tickets and back stage passes to the Rolling Stones."

Emmett winked at Rosalie.

"I didn't think they were on tour this year," I said.

"It was a charity concert which was even better because the venue was small and you could actually see them clearly as they played. We got a chance to dress up in evening gowns and everything."

"Are you kidding me?"

"Nope, and guess who Jagger was hitting on after the concert?"

Leah looked embarrassed. Alice and Rosalie just giggled.

"Dude, he is like Old Quill's age."

I laughed. It would be weird to think of having a passionate kiss with someone as old as your grandfather let alone sex. On that thought all I could think was - Ewwww! Then I looked at Edward and realized he was older than Old Quill!

Edward must have caught the expression on my face. "What?"

"Nothing!" I said in a high note.

Alice caught my eye and we both giggled.

"I'm sorry, but if anyone looked like a vampire that night it was Keith Richards!" Leah said.

"I could smell his blood and I swear I caught a hint of formaldehyde," Rosalie chimed in. "If we could bottle that smell we could use it to train newborns quicker."

"Newborns?" Leah asked.

"That is what we call a vampire for the first year after they are turned. The blood lust is the strongest the first twelve months. They are very dangerous because some of their own blood remains in their body after the transformation and that makes them stronger than the average vampire. So they can be harder to control. That is why it was such a big deal that Callum's sire left him after turning him. Callum could have wreaked havoc in a populated area in his new born state which could have brought attention to us. The Volturi are always on the lookout for any newborn outbreaks."

"What do they do if they suspect one?"

"They send out a team to investigate and neutralize the situation."

"And by neutralize you mean…?"

"They will destroy the newborns and clean up any evidence so the human authorities don't have anything to investigate."

"Has that happened recently?"

"Remember that Ebola outbreak in Africa a few years ago?"

"That wasn't Ebola?"

"Nope. That was just the cover story. It explained how messy the deaths were when the humans found the bodies in two nearby villages. It also kept the humans out while the Volturi took care of the situation."

Ok, wow.

"We keep an eye out for the same thing. We would rather take care of any threat ourselves than have the Volturi on our doorstep. As they say, 'no good can come from that'."

"That's actually what Jasper does. That's why he was following the murders." Alice added.

"I don't understand why Alice didn't see these murders before they happened." Emmet questioned.

"I keep telling you that you all rely on my gift too much. If Jasper is right and this is a vampire, maybe he has some type of gift that can block me."

"Or maybe I'm interfering,' Leah said quietly. "Maybe I should stay away…"

"We won't hear of it!" Esme said and put her arm around Leah. "You are dear to us and we wouldn't hear of you staying away. It's important to us that you are safe and we'll feel better if you stay close."

"Besides, the more I'm around you, the more I'm able to see around you." Alice told everyone to their surprise. "I didn't have any problem seeing things in Paris or in Los Angeles when you were around. I didn't have any trouble seeing that Mick was going to offer to show you exactly how you could get some satisfaction,"

"No way!" I exclaimed.

"Way!" Alice giggled. "He really uses that line."

Groans echoed around the room.

Alice couldn't contain herself anymore and the girls grabbed my arm and dragged me upstairs to show me their cache of designer buys. Leah and Alice showed me some of their favorite purchases and then I was hustled in and out of various outfits as they oohed and ahhed.

"This is too much." I said as I took off the last dress they passed to me. It was in Edward's favorite color. I straitened the shoulders of the blue Prada dress on the hanger with care.

"Bella, suck it up and just say thank you." Alice said with a smile that took the bite out of her words.

"Ok, now for the real reason we came up here. How was Paris?"

I blushed.

"Were you gentle with him?" Leah asked with a wink.

My face got warmer.

"Those stilettos came in handy, right?" Now I knew I was beet red.

"Enough. I am not telling you any details. I'll just say it was wonderful."

"Come on. Alice mentioned something happened with feathers. I've heard of couples using feathers in their foreplay. Did you guys get kinky?"

I threw a pillow at her.

"Enough!"

The girls looked resigned but they finally dropped it. We spoke more about their weekend and then I remembered something. "Leah, I forgot to tell you Charlie's check in program."

EPOV

I stared at the night sky and wished Bella and I could have stayed in the Paris bubble a little longer. I was never more grateful for perfect recall. I was lucky that I could replay Bella and my first time over and over again. I would always be able to remember the feel of her lips as they worked down my chest. I would be able to recall with perfect clarity that moment I slid into her body and felt her clench around me. I would never forget the euphoria I felt when we peaked together. I had never felt more connected to something greater than myself in all my existence.

"What are you doing out here?" Jasper surprised me. So much for Vampire senses.

I shrugged. "The girls are playing fashion show Bella so I grabbed the bags from the car."

"Are you ok?"

I stayed silent for a long time. "I feel changed," I whispered in surprise.

"Of course you do. She's your mate."

I shook my head. "It's more than that." Flashes of Bella and I in Paris tangled around each other flickered through my head.

"Dial it down, Edward, or I'm going to have to cut this conversation short and find Alice."

I smiled sheepishly and then grew serious. "I knew making love to her would make our connection stronger but I didn't know I would feel this way." It was like a piece of me was missing when she wasn't by my side.

"Do you remember our conversation when you were trying to get Bella to give you a second chance?"

I nodded and then the conversation replayed in my mind.

" _We've been seeing each other for weeks now and she is still holding a part of herself back." I growled out in frustration._

" _Edward, she isn't going to trust your words. She's going to look to your actions. If you really want a second chance with her you are going to have to back up everything you say with what you do."_

 _He was only saying what Bella told me. "You're right."_

" _So, what is your end-game?"_

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Well, the last time you were in this position you refused to contemplate changing her. Has that changed?"_

" _No! You know I want something better for her than this life!"_

" _Then why are you doing this? Why are you starting this all over again? How do you see this working out differently?"_

 _I ran my fingers through my hair in agitation. "I don't know. I guess I thought I would stay by her side as long as she wants me."_

" _And if she wants someone else? Do you really think you can step aside?"_

" _If she wants someone else or something more, like children, I'll have to step aside. I want her to be happy. If that means with someone else then, so be it."_

" _I saw how you were when we left Forks. After you thought you found Victoria and your quest was done, you were virtually catatonic until Carlisle forced you to hunt. Can you really go through that again? Can you survive that again? I'm not sure Carlisle and Esme can."_

" _She deserves better than this half existence!"_

" _She deserves a choice!"_

 _He was wrong. I wouldn't turn Bella into a monster like me. I wouldn't risk her soul like that. We could work it out. I would stay by her side and love her until she left this world. Then I would find a way to follow her._

 _Jasper must have sensed my internal rationalizing. He shook his head, "You are fooling yourself."_

 _Maybe I was. Could I really give her up again to someone that could give her the human experiences that I couldn't?_

 _The fact that I couldn't stop myself from waiting on her balcony when she came home from her double date with Leah and that boy Kyle would seem to support Jasper's assessment. I heard her tell the boy goodbye and his offer to let her date both of us. I couldn't help but let out a growl when I read his thoughts. While they weren't as bad as say Mike Newton's, it took all my control not to jump down and tear him limb from limb. There was a dent in the balcony railing where I might have fantasized it was the boy's neck as she let him kiss her goodbye._

"Carlisle has always said that it takes something profound to make us change. It wasn't only your first time with your mate. It was your first time making love. I think that had a more profound effect on you than you expected."

"All those things I said to you that day about stepping aside if that was better for her. I was so full of shit. I don't think I could do that now. I'm in pain without her in viewing distance and I know she is only a few hundred feet away. I don't think I could survive without her now."

"I know. It is the mating ties. We all have known you wouldn't be able to stay away from her since the first time you saw her in the cafeteria."

"What do I do now?"

"Enjoy it. You are one of the lucky ones that found their soul mate."

"What if she doesn't want to change now?"

"She wanted to before."

"That was when she was seventeen and caught up in the romance of first love. As she is so fond of telling me, she is older and has changed."

"Not that much, Edward. So, you want to change her?"

My hands tangled in my hair. Why was it always in the way? "I don't know. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to think of an eternity without her. I just don't want to consign her to an existence that she could regret. One of my biggest nightmares in Forks was imagining that I changed her and then she realized that she made a mistake. I would hear her screaming at me that she hated me and blamed me for making her a monster."

"That won't happen, Edward."

"You don't know that. Alice doesn't even know that. Bella doesn't understand everything she will have to give up. I don't think she will be able to handle giving up contact with her parents. She is closer to Charlie more than ever. You know that Charlie called when we got home." I sighed in frustration. "She can't even tell him she was with me."

"Edward, there are things you will have to work out and you will. Right now, you need to give yourselves a chance to make your relationship stronger. Let yourself enjoy this new closeness. When it's time to think about changing Bella, you have to give her all the facts and let her decide what she wants."

He slapped me on the back in affection and then said, "Why don't we take do a quick hunt?" We heard raucous laughter from the upstairs. "It looks like they are going to be a while."

I nodded and we took off for the woods.

BPOV

"Where did everyone go?" I asked Leah as I folded the last of the clothes away and put all the bags and boxes together.

"The boys went hunting so Rosalie and Alice grabbed Emmett to join them."

I nodded.

"So, now it's just you and me. Spill! How did it really go in Paris?"

I closed my eyes and thought about how it felt to finally be with Edward.

"It was better than I imagined."

Leah sat down crossed legged in the middle of the bed. "knew it! More. I want more."

I told her about the romantic night out and how I knew that it was the right time. I wanted to give myself to him in every sense. I wanted to finally feel like he was totally mine.

"Were you scared that he might hurt you?"

"No. I knew he could never hurt me. Leah, he was so gentle. He was generous and I know it sounds cliched but it was really beautiful. Then it was fun." I laughed as I blushed. "And then it adventurous, back to fun and a few more times beautiful."

"Whoo. That's hot."

"It was very hot. Hence the feathers. Edward bit through a few pillows in the heat of the moment."

Leah laughed. "So, no regrets?"

"No regrets."

I told her about Edward not keeping me in the dark when Jasper came to pick us up. "I think he has changed. He is starting to treat me more as an equal. Something I needed in order to even think we had a chance at a future together.

"Did you talk about what this means for the long term."

"No, not yet. Look, I tried to plan things out with Jake and look where that got me. I'm just trying to enjoy the moment."

"I'm happy for you. I'm glad that you were able to get past Jake. You deserve to be happy."

That made me think how much she deserved to be happy. She was my rock when I had needed her and I realized I needed to make sure she knew I would be there for her. I wanted her to find her happiness too. She spent so much time being the life of the party I sometimes wondered if that covered up some residual sadness.

"Leah, have you ever been with someone since Sam?"

"Once." She looked pensive for a moment. "It was someone I met when I went to Seattle. It was after I found out that Sam and Emily were pregnant. I needed to get away and found a hostel to stay in for a few weeks. I met an Australian that was backpacking around the States. He was fun and easy going. I thought, ' _Why shouldn't I?_ ' Afterwards, I cried for hours. I swore then that I wouldn't do that again unless it was with someone that I loved."

"So, you and Luke?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No. I like him but we aren't there yet. I know better than to move too fast now. I don't want to feel that empty again."

I hugged Leah and tried to infuse that hug with all the love and gratitude I felt for her. "Never feel alone. I will always be there for you. I'm so glad Charlie married your mom and made it official. I'm so glad he gave me you as a sister."


	34. Chapter 34 - Musings

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire. Thanks to all the new followers and favorites. Thank you so much to those readers that consistently review. You make this so worth the effort. Work has finally calmed down enough to let me write and I am happy to report that in addition to this chapter I have two others already written and through my first round with my Beta. I've got to make a couple of fixes based on her review but you should get two new updates very soon after this one. So please provide positive reinforcement for my productivity with a review. Thanks!

 **Chapter 34 – Musings**

I opened the French doors to the back of the house and strolled towards Edward's cottage and wondered if he was back from the hunt. There was a warm glow from the windows that lit the path to his front door. I looked up into the night sky and thought it was crazy that just hours ago I was looking up at the night sky from a totally different continent.

I knocked on the door and then walked in.

"Bella, why did you knock?"

"I didn't want to be rude."

Edward shook his head and smiled. "Silly girl, I want you to think of any place that is mine as yours."

His hair was wet and he was shirtless so I guessed he must have just finished his shower. His body was so beautiful that all I could do was stare. He wasn't bulky but each muscle was cut and defined. I followed the line that cut down the center of his abdomen and mentally caressed his six pack abs. He was so cut that I could see the vee that was defined from his low slung and well-worn jeans. He caught my eye and gave me a sexy grin.

I blushed but smiled back.

"I hope you don't mind but I wanted to clean up after going hunting."

I always wondered what that would look like. He refused to let me see him hunt when we were in Forks and I hadn't felt comfortable enough to bring it up again since. I asked him if he planned to hunt when we were in Paris but he told me he had filled up the night before the trip and he would be fine. The older he got the more time he could go between feedings.

Edward or one of his brothers must have brought the luggage in from the car at some point.

Edward saw that I had spotted the bags. "I was hoping you would stay here tonight. With everything going on, I would feel better with you here than at the apartment."

"I can't leave Leah by herself. That wouldn't be fair."

"Alice told me she invited Leah to stay as well. She said they cleaned out the cottage that Tanya used, aired it out and had new bedding shipped in that only Leah has touched. Leah agreed to stay as well."

I was grateful that his family was so thoughtful. "Please, thank your family. Well, since you have taken care of any objections I could have – I would love to stay tonight."

"Just tonight?"

"Well, we'll have to go home eventually. What if Charlie or Sue call the house? How do we explain that we aren't living there?"

Edward was silent too long so I grabbed some clothes from my suitcase and my toiletry bag. "I'm going to jump in the shower." Edward nodded and I closed the door to the bathroom with a sigh. I undressed and stepped into the shower and let the shower jets on each side of the shower massage my worries away. I hadn't let myself think of anything but the immediate future. I wasn't sure what he had in mind and I wouldn't let myself hope for too much only to be disappointed.

I forced myself to turn off the shower with its seemingly endless supply of hot water. I toweled myself dry and changed into some comfortable clothes. I walked back into the main room as I toweled off my wet hair.

I looked around the room and found Edward on the couch as he stared into the fire as if mesmerized. He looked up as I walked toward the couch and he pointed to the floor as he held up a comb. I sat in front of him on the floor and started the arduous process of detangling my hair. Edward ran the comb through my hair in long smooth strokes. The teeth felt great against my scalp. The movement was hypnotic and I tilted my head back and enjoyed each stroke.

"Bella, are you going to tell Charlie we reconnected"

My head jerked up causing him to tangle a strand. He unwound the hair and resumed his ministrations. It was a good question. One for which I didn't have an answer. I finally said, "I've wanted to but I'm not sure how to do it."

"Just say, _Hey Charlie, guess who I ran into on campus."_

I grimaced at his glib reply. "Edward, you don't know what kind of stress he has been under with Sue and the baby. I'm afraid to throw this on to him on top of everything going on. I don't want to cause him any more pain. You don't know what I was like when you were gone. I was in a really dark place and it killed Charlie to see me that way and not be able to do anything about it. I'm afraid he blames you for a lot of really bad times over the last few years. He's not going to understand how I could forgive you."

"But you do?"

I felt terrible because I knew he was looking for reassurance but reintroducing Edward as my boyfriend wasn't going to be easy with Charlie.

"Of course I do. But I know why you did what you did. I understand it was done out of love even if I don't agree with it. He doesn't know about James or Victoria. Hell, he doesn't know about Seth and Leah."

"What if his child with Sue has the shapeshifter gene?"

I shrugged. "Leah told me that Sue asked the council for permission to tell Charlie everything after she found out she was pregnant. They refused. She argued that she already had two children that went through the change it could happen with this child as well. They think that since only one parent is a Quileute it is unlikely their child will have the ability to phase."

I thought they were hypocrites. When I wanted to leave Forks they had no problem using the possibility to block me from moving away.

"I don't think they have a true understanding of genetics and recessive genes." Edward said with a grimace.

"True. But they don't view the ability from a scientific perspective. Their legends recount the first wolf as a mystical gift born out of need and provided out of the spiritual generosity of the wolf that allowed Taha Aki to take his form."

I recounted the Taha Aki legend that Billy had told at one of the Quileute campfires.

"That supports Carlisle's theory that they are shapeshifters rather than werewolves. He has speculated that they could theoretically take any form if they chose to but since the legends say it's a wolf that is what their subconscious chooses."

That was an interesting theory. I had to remember to tell Leah.

"When is Sue due?"

"She has five more weeks to go which is why I promised to go home for Thanksgiving. Charlie is freaking out. He told me last week that he finished painting the baby's room and only had to put the furniture together. I would pay for that video because while Charlie is a great cop, he is hopeless with power tools. I hope they didn't buy the furniture from Ikea. That 'L' wrench gives him fits every time."

"Maybe I could come home with you at Thanksgiving and we can tell Charlie together?"

I wasn't sure that was a good idea. By that time the baby would have arrived and Charlie would be significantly sleep deprived. Edward back in my life, sleep deprivation and ready access to a gun didn't seem like a good mix. "Maybe."

I think he sensed the hesitancy in my voice so I tried to change the subject.

"In the meantime, didn't someone tell me how they wanted to spend this evening? I don't remember talking being a big part of your agenda."

I could see he wasn't finished but he let me change the subject. After a moment of silence his game face changed to the relaxed man I saw in Paris.

"Well, Bella. I am a man of my word." With that he swooped down and lifted me up to the couch and kissed me. He pushed me back so I was lying back on the couch cushions and he kissed his way down my neck.

He sucked on a particularly sensitive part of my neck and I called out, "Edward!" That was the last coherent word I said for the rest of the night.

XXXXX

I woke up the next morning to sun shining through the window near the bed. All I could think was, ' _Bright light! Bright light!'_ in the _Gremlins'_ mogwai voice. Edward was on his side staring down at me as one of his hands played with my hair.

I looked around for a moment to get my bearings. I had slept in too many strange places in too few days and my brain was slow to identify where I was.

"Hi." Edward said with a sexy grin. "I'd ask you how you slept but I already know. You were very talkative last night."

I blushed and wondered what incriminating things I might have said.

"You are so beautiful." He leaned down to try to kiss me but I stopped him.

"No! I need to brush my teeth." I did not want to think what my breath would be like to a Vampire's sensitive sense of smell.

"Trust me. You don't have morning breath." He kissed me soundly and I thought it would lead to other things. Instead Edward got up from the bed and gave me a playful slap on my ass.

"Hey!" I protested. He just laughed.

"Come on. You better get up and dressed or you will be late to class."

I pouted but dragged myself out of bed as instructed. I grimaced. When did I become a pouter?

XXXX

Leah sat at the kitchen counter as she ate from a plate piled up with scrambled eggs, bacon and toast.

She raised her eyebrows and gave me a knowing grin. I, of course, turned red.

Emmett looked up from his phone. "Bella! Doing the walk of shame."

Esme slapped Emmett in the back of his head and hissed in a voice so low only Vampires and maybe a Wolf could have heard it. Leah told me later that she said, "Emmett! If you do anything to make Bella so embarrassed she is uncomfortable staying here and ruin things for your brother, I will personally ask your wife to rip off that part of your body that you value so much and keep it in her purse until you can act like a mature adult."

Emmett sat stunned at Esme's vehemence. He looked at Esme and then at Rosalie who gave him a look that indicated that she would be more than happy to comply should Esme make the request. She grabbed her purse and looked inside for a moment. Then she looked into Emmett's eyes as she snapped it close. He jumped at the sound of the click of the purse and then shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

Esme turned to me, smiled her sweet motherly smile and then said in her normal voice, "Bella, sweet girl, you look hungry. Let me get you some breakfast."

There was no more teasing. Everyone talked amongst themselves as Leah and I finished the ginormous breakfast that Esme had so lovingly prepared. I looked at my watch, panicked, and jumped up from the bar stool. I gathered up my plate and silverware but Esme stopped me.

"You kids go. I'll clean this up." We grabbed our bags and filed out of the house. Esme voice followed us out of the house. "Make good choices!"

That made Leah giggle. "I love her."

"I know. It's like Walt Disney and Tim Burton got together and said, let's make the perfect Vampire Mom."

XXXX

"Bella!" Lisa called across the room as I walked into class. Her red curly hair bounced as she waived frantically. In some ways she reminded me of Alice. "Hey! How was your long weekend?"

"Amazing!"

"What did you do? Whatever it was, do more of it. You are practically glowing."

I could feel my face heating up.

"Oh, I want details. Anything that brought that much of a blush to your face must have been very naughty."

"It was a nice weekend."

"Fine. Fine. Be a spoil sport and don't give me any details. Just know that I am very jealous. I also want you to feel very guilty that while you were on a romantic weekend I slaved away at our project."

"Yeah, I'm not going to feel guilty."

Lisa laughed and nudged me in the shoulder.

"Are we still on for the meet up at the library after class?"

"Yup. I emailed the rest of the group and they all can meet. I want to show everyone the case studies I found while I spent my lonely weekend in the stacks."

Lisa was gorgeous. "If you were lonely this weekend, it was by choice."

Before she could reply the ominous sounds of the Darth Vader theme erupted from my cell phone. Luckily, the teacher hadn't arrived yet. I grabbed my phone and swiped the screen.

"Hey, Dad. Is everything ok?"

"Yes, I just wanted to check in."

"Leah and I are fine. I just left her. Listen, I just walked into class. Can I call you in an hour?"

He agreed and I shut the phone done just in time to see Mr. Heirstein walk up to the podium. The Professor was known for deducting points from student's grades for cell phone disturbances in his classes.

Fifty minutes later I stood outside of class and finished my check in with Charlie.

"Everything ok?" Lisa asked. She had hung back with me so I could ring Charlie back.

"Yeah, everyone's fine. He just wanted to check on me."

"Sounds like your Dad has you on a short leash." Lisa looked at me with sympathy. "I thought my parents were tough."

"I think it's his job. He sees a lot of bad things. He knows the worse-case scenarios."

She nodded in understanding as we walked to the library to meet the rest of the group. We walked up the two flights to the stacks and looked around. John spotted us and waived us over to some chairs that he had put together.

Howie looked up from his iPad and said, "Did you guys see this?" He pointed to the headline on the student paper. "Police still baffled with second student slaying." Howie was a foreign student from Hong Kong. He went by Howie because he said it was the closest sounding name to his real name. He just didn't look like a Howie to me.

John folded his big frame into the chair next to Howie. He played high school football and tried for a walk on position for the school team. He had to settle for the fraternity intermural football league. He was a big guy but after the Pack and Emmett, he never seemed that big to me until he stood next to Howie.

"I'm starting to feel like every time we get together for this project we end up discussing a murder. One more and we are going to have to change this group to the University Murder Club."

We all looked at him clueless. Lisa explained, "Like the James Patterson books. I swear you lot are completely illiterate."

Two hours later I walked out of the library and was dazzled by the sight of my beautiful boyfriend waiting for me. He was leaning against a brick planter. A slight breeze blew by and I could see the moment he caught my scent. He tensed, looked up and smiled that slow sexy smile that I found irresistible. He straightened up and walked over to me. He was oblivious to the sorority girl that tripped over a sprinkler because she was mesmerized by him as he passed her.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hi," I looked up at him shyly. That just made him laugh. It was a sound that sent shivers down my spine it was so sexy. We stared stupidly at each other for a few minutes.

"Get a room!" John yelled as he walked by us.

I blushed but Edward just smiled, took my book bag and slung an arm around my shoulder.

"So, what would you like to do for the rest of the day?"

I looked at him and it was my turn to give him a slow sexy smile.

"You make it very difficult for me to not throw you over my shoulder and run to the nearest bed at vampire speed."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

He kissed my nose but we walked to the car at a human pace. We walked but we walked quickly.

xxxx

The rest of the week was uneventful. The reporters were no longer camped out on the corner of campus looking for student reactions. Jasper was still gathering evidence and Leah and I were always in the company of at least one of the Cullens when we weren't in class. Leah found that insulting but I felt better that she wasn't alone.

Alice and I were walking to my apartment from class. Edward was out hunting with Jasper so Alice was on Bella babysitting duty. It was getting old.

"How long are you going to have to keep this up?"

"Until we find the vampire doing this. We don't want this to catch the attention of the Volturi. We don't need them coming to Portland."

"And you think they would?"

"They are always on the lookout for anything that could bring attention to our kind by the humans. This can occur most commonly with out of control newborns, rogue vampires and territorial wars."

"And Jasper watches out for those things?"

"Yes, he knows what indicators to look for since he's experienced them. He monitors print, TV and the internet for potential issues or threats. He's also the strategist in our family dynamics. He plans our moves, handles the logistics around our identities, erases our electronic footprints and the myriad of other issues we have to deal with so we can go undetected.'

"You said he experienced them. Is that how he got the scars?" Jaspers scars were faint but if he was in sunlight they could be seen even with the human eye.

"Did Edward tell you how Jasper was changed?"

"No, he just said that he found your 'vegetarian' lifestyle the hardest."

"That's because of the way he came into this life. Jasper's indoctrination into life as a vampire was savage. His existence for almost seventy-five years was one of a daily battle of life and death. Hence the scars. He was used as a weapon by the vampire that changed him. If he wasn't fighting an outside vampire he was fighting to control the newborns that his maker used."

"Why would he stay with him?"

"His maker was a she, actually. Her name was Maria. He stayed because he didn't know that there was any other way to exist."

"Poor, Jasper. With his gift that must have been agony to be surrounded by a constant stream of feelings of confusion, hatred and death."

"A weaker vampire would have given up and just let himself be destroyed in one of the battles."

"How did Maria find him?"

"It was during the Civil War or as Jasper likes to call it, the War of Northern Aggression. Did you know he was one of the youngest majors in the confederate army in Texas? He was promoted when he was just nineteen." I could see the pride on her face.

"So, that southern drawl is real."

"Quite real. He comes by the accent and the manners quite honestly. In fact, it was those good manners that put him in danger. He was on the way back to Galveston after completing his mission to evacuate women and children to a safer location when he ran across three women. He had no idea what they were. He only saw young ladies in distress. He offered to help them find shelter and safe passage to their destination."

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Alice nodded in agreement. "The strongest of the three, Maria, changed him. In those days it was common for vampires to use newborn armies to fight for territories in the southern part of the continent. You see, newborns were easily made and just as easily disposed of without a second thought."

"Why would they have to fight for territories?"

"Too large a concentration of vampires feeding on humans in a fixed area would be noticeable to the humans. The most sacred rule we have is to maintain the secret of our existence. "

"So, too many human deaths in a concentrated area might raise questions."

"Exactly. Even as hard as life was on the Texas frontier, people would notice if a large number of the town folk went missing. So the strongest vampires would push out the weaker ones to either maintain, defend or expand their feeding grounds. The slyer of them realized that using a newborn army was an effective weapon in these turf wars without putting themselves at risk."

"And Jasper was changed for that purpose."

"Yes. Maria saw a handsome officer in a uniform and took the opportunity to use his military expertise to lead her newborn army. He would train the newborns to fight and keep them in line. The ones that didn't die were killed within a year of their change."

"Why?"

"Once there newborn strength was gone, they weren't of any use to Maria. She made Jasper dispose of them. His gift made that duty even more onerous. He was fiercely loyal to Maria but the killings were making him depressed and then angry. She could see that his loyalties were shifting when he let two of the vampires escape. He sensed Maria's distrust and fear of him. He knew it was only a matter of time before she would try to kill him to retain her position of power. He finally left her when the vampire he let escape risked his life to come back and tell Jasper that life in the North was different. Vampires there could coexist without the fighting that had been their everyday life."

"Is that when you met?"

"No it was another decade before he found me. During that time he struggled with his guilt over killing humans to survive."

"You must have been a big surprise."

Alice smiled in memory. "When he walked into the diner I was sitting at the counter pretending to drink a shake. I think he came in to buy a cup of coffee so he could use the facilities to clean up. I had been seeing visions of him, the Cullens, and the life we would lead together for almost twenty years. I can't describe the joy I felt when I realized I had finally found him. He told me that the intensity of my feelings almost overwhelmed him. He had never felt such unconditional love and acceptance. He sat down beside me and just stared at me. I held out my hand to him and said, ' _You've kept me waiting a long time."_

I laughed. That was so Alice.

"Without missing a beat, he took my hand, tipped his head and said _, 'I'm sorry M'am.'_ He was so ready for a different way of life that it didn't take much to convince him to come with me to find Carlisle. We've been together ever since."

"How long has that been?"

"A little over sixty years."

"Does the intensity of this feeling fade?"

She smiled at me. "It doesn't fade but … you manage real life around it better."

She continued. "Emmett and Rose were the worse. It took two years before Jasper could be around them without dragging me away to a dark corner. Esme told me that she had to build them their own house miles away right after they married the first time because she couldn't take the noise and the destruction they wrought on the main house. She said Edward had a sour look on his face for years from reading Emmett's mind."

"Have you and Jasper ever been apart since you found each other?"

"Never more than two days."

"Did you have a hard time when you were apart?"

I felt this overwhelming need to be with Edward. When he wasn't around I felt like a piece of me was missing. I was afraid to let him see just how much I needed him. I didn't want to make mistakes like I did the first time. Was I too clingy last time? I made a lot of assumptions about our future then which made his departure so much worse. I don't think I could handle it if he left me again.

"Yes." She didn't elaborate and I wasn't sure I wanted to tell her how I was feeling. Maybe it was different between a human and a vampire than two vampire mates.

"Alice, do you see glimpses of me in the future anymore?"

She was quiet for a moment and then finally said, "Yes."

"Am I like all of you in that future?"

"Sometimes."

I looked at her in surprise. "What do you mean sometimes?"

She sighed. "I get flashes of the future from time to time when I am with you, with Edward or with both of you together. In some of those flashes you are like me. In others you are human and older."

"So you don't know if I will be changed in the future?" I was sad and it showed on my face because Alice gave me a sympathetic look. "I guess that means that Edward still doesn't think of changing me."

"No, Bella. It means that both of you haven't decided what you want. The future is in constant flux dependent on decisions people make. Right now, both of you have been in a constant state of indecision. That makes sense. You have made an important step forward in your relationship but you haven't figured everything out yet."

I nodded.

"Bella, do you know what you want for your future?"

"Yes."

"Then talk to Edward. Tell him what you want and ask him what he wants."

I told Leah I hadn't let myself think of the future. But that was a lie. It wasn't that I didn't let myself think of the future. I just wouldn't let myself hope. Hope can be a beautiful thing or it can be the source of misery and untold disappointment. I don't think I could take any more disappointment. Every time I have been truly happy something has snapped it away. I've tried to let myself enjoy this time of being young and in love. I have tried to accept it for what it is now and not hope too much for the future. I've learned the hard way that hope only seems to tempt the fickle hand of fate. I've been knocked back by it too many times when I've reached out for happiness. Reality has a way of creeping up on those positive feelings. I could feel the doubts breaking through the cracks like weeds.


	35. Chapter 35 - Pieces of the Puzzle

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** Idon't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire, who pointed out some great plot points to keep me honest and on track. Thanks to all the new followers and favorites. Thank you so much to those readers that consistently review. I hope you like the chapter and leave me your ideas and comments.

 **Chapter 35 - Pieces of the Puzzle**

Edward and I had spent the last few days at my apartment. Leah refused to come back until she said our 'honeymoon' period was over. I didn't want to tell her what Alice said about the honeymoon period for vampires. Evidently the walls weren't thick enough for her super wolf hearing. She was staying with the Cullens in the cottage she had claimed for herself. Esme loved it. She was having a great time having someone to spoil.

I knew Alice was right but I hadn't worked up the nerve to ask Edward what he wanted for our future. Things were going so well since Paris, I didn't want to ruin it with questions to which I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answers.

Edward reached for the buzzing phone with a sigh. He listened to the caller and then hung up.

"That was Jasper. He said he got the rest of the information that he was waiting for. He wants to know if we can come to the house tonight."

I was sad that reality was intruding into our ideal.

We got to the house around seven. Esme had something ready for Leah and me. We finished the delicious steak dinner and cleaned up the dishes insisting that if Esme cooked we would clean up. It was the least we could do. Once the last dish was wiped dry, we migrated to the family room.

Jasper synced his computer with the flat screen TV in the family room. The Cullens did nothing half way. This was evidently to be a show and tell presentation. I settled next to Edward and he took my hand as I watched the rest of the family pair off to various couches and chairs.

Jasper jumped in. "I've hacked into various law enforcement databases and it didn't take me long to see that some murders outside of Portland could be connected to the two murders here."

A map of Oregon displayed on the flat screen and Jasper zoomed in on a section of the state closest to Portland. Red flags highlighted certain cities.

"If I'm right, I think there are three similar murders in towns that surround the greater Portland area and two more in Portland that may be connected to the two on or near campus."

"Why didn't the police connect them?"

"Well, there is always the problem of smaller towns having limited resources and then poor communication between municipalities."

"What made you put it together?" Leah asked.

"First, all the victims had their throats cut or show evidence of mutilation."

"And second?" Rosalie asked.

Jasper looked at Edward for a moment. Edward looked grim but nodded his head. Jasper typed a few key strokes and seven pictures came up on the screen.

Rosalie gasped. Esme and Carlisle looked concerned.

Leah stated the obvious. "They all look like Bella."

I sat stunned. The array of pictures showed a variety of ages of women from late teens to early thirties that shared features similar to my own. What was going on?

Jasper continued, "I think the Portland police didn't connect these two murders," he said pointing to a woman that looked in her late twenties and another in her early thirties, "because they weren't connected to the University. Barbara Madding was a waitress at a coffee shop. She was found with her throat slashed and her body drained of blood in a land fill two months ago. The police were never able to find the murder site. They detectives speculated that her boyfriend might have killed her because the police had responded to multiple domestic disturbance calls at her apartment. They had to clear him when he was able to prove that he was out of down before and after the estimated time of her death."

He pointed to the second picture. "Lisa Sharp was a manager at a clothing store in the mall across town from the University. She was killed a month and a half ago. She was last seen walking to her car after the mall closed. The sheriff's department found her body in one of the mall garbage bins. The body had been drained again but this time the killer tried to burn the body. For whatever reason, the fire didn't catch and only parts of her body were affected by the flames."

"Those poor women!" Esme said sadly. Carlisle placed his arm around her in comfort.

Jasper explained that the three murders outside of Portland were of women that were more vulnerable and less likely to be reported.

He clicked through the first picture. "This is Amanda Richards." She was just a teenager.

"She looks just Bella when we were in High School in Forks!" Rosalie exclaimed.

Jasper nodded. "She was a runaway living on the streets. Hers was by far the most brutal murder. They think she was killed three weeks ago. They were only able to identify her body using dental records."

I could see how much this distressed Esme.

Another girl's picture flashed on the screen. This girl was older than Amanda but not by much. She had hard eyes and a smirk on her face in the photograph.

"This is Kathy Ford. She was in and out of foster care. She had a history of disappearing so no one reported her for a few weeks. They found her body in a deserted warehouse used by the homeless and runaways. They estimate she was killed four weeks ago."

"That's not a lot of time between murders."

"No, but it is more consistent with a newborn or young vampires need to feed."

The picture changed to a girl in her mid-twenties. "This was Julie Rollings."

"The hair and eyes are the right color but features wise – she doesn't look that similar to Bella." Emmett commented.

"I think the differences you are seeing are the result of some hard living."

The eyes in the picture were empty. They made me uncomfortable because I remembered when I shared that look.

"I have to agree with Edward," Jasper said. "The local police were able to identify her through her finger prints. She had been picked up multiple times for prostitution. She too had her throat slit and her body drained of blood. They estimate she was killed seven week ago. We think she was the second victim and after she was murdered whoever did it got smarter about how the bodies were left so it wasn't as obvious that they were linked."

"Then why leave the last two bodies so blatantly on campus?" Leah asked.

Jasper paused and looked at Carlisle. Then he turned back to Leah. "Carlisle and I think the monster doing this isn't trying to hide anymore. He wants us to know that these murders are connected. He wants us to know that he is out there."

Everyone was quiet after that taking into consideration what that meant.

"It doesn't make sense. Why here? Why now? And why would I be the target?"

No one had a ready answer.

Emmett finally broke the silence. "I hate to bring up the elephant in the room but there is an obvious suspect." When no one jumped in, Emmett gave them all a disgusted look. "Come on. We know of at least one red eyed vampire that has been in and near Portland. Could Callum be responsible for some or all of these murders?"

Leah looked relieved that someone had said it. "Seriously, that guy gave me the creeps."

Carlisle answered, "It is a logical question considering his is the only vampire we are aware of in the area that has fed off a human within the last year. But he and Kate arrived after the murders started and left before the last murder."

"But Carlisle, he and Kate weren't that far from this area." Esme said quietly. I knew she hated to think badly of people.

Emmett nodded. "Based on the route they took from Alaska to here they weren't that far from Portland when the murders occurred."

Jasper added, "Bella said that Laurent used hunting trips to double back to Forks. I'm sure Tanya had no idea he went that far to hunt. He could have left Kate to hunt on his own and made his way here and back to her without her knowing."

"But it doesn't make sense. Why would Callum target women that look like Bella? As far as we know he hadn't met her before he and Kate arrived at the house."

"Maybe he likes a certain look for his food."

That earned Emmett a death glare from Edward. "I didn't see anything related to the murders in his thoughts."

"I didn't get any negative feelings from Callum when he was around Bella that would hint at some deep seated hatred for Bella."

Alice brought up the obvious. "We don't know enough about him to know if he has a gift that could hide his actions or thoughts from us and Kate. Something is blocking me because I didn't pick up any of this."

The mention of Laurent's name made me think of Lauren. The two names were so similar. That made a connection in my head. "Wait! Didn't Lauren say that Callum looked familiar when they met on campus?"

"Yes, she did," Alice said thoughtfully.

"Well, when you are changed you said your features are enhanced. Maybe Lauren recognized him from before he was changed – before the transformation enhanced his features?"

Carlisle nodded his head and then spoke to Edward. "It's possible. It might be a good idea if you contact her and see if she remembers where she might have seen someone that looked like Callum. Maybe that will help us find the connection to Bella." Carlisle then turned to Leah and I. "In the meantime, I don't want you two alone at your apartment. I don't know if that break in at your apartment is connected or a coincidence but I would feel better if you stayed here."

I looked at Leah. "Will that work for you?"

"Sure."

Leah used the spare cottage. We walked her to her door and then Edward took my hand and walked me to his cottage.

I tried to stay calm with all the new information. I couldn't believe that this could be happening again. I was a danger magnet of epic proportions. I understood why it happened before but it made no sense now. I hated that I might be the victim again.

I showered and changed into my night clothes. I got into bed while Edward stoked the fire place before he joined me. I let Edward distract me from my worries. We made love and as Edward held me afterwards I couldn't get rid of the feeling that time was running out. With everything we heard I knew I couldn't put this off any longer.

"Edward, these last few weeks have been the happiest of my life."

"I feel the same, Bella."

"We haven't spoken about the future since everything has happened."

I felt him nod and then kiss the top of my head.

"Edward," I said his name hesitantly. "Do you … do you see us together in the future?"

His arms tightened around me. "Bella, I can't think of a future that doesn't include you in it."

I pushed out of his arms so I could flip over so we were face to face. "So, does that mean you want to change me?"

He was silent for a moment and my stomach clenched. I started to move away from him but he stopped me.

"It doesn't mean you have to be changed, Bella. We can have a future together that will let you lead a normal life."

I looked at him scornfully. "Edward, when has my life been a normal life? Even when you weren't around, the 'abnormal' still found me. Now, it's happening again."

"Bella, we'll figure this out and I promise you we will keep you safe. I just mean you don't have to become like me for us to be together. Before Paris, I wasn't sure that was true. I feared we could never be intimate if you were still human. Now that I know that I won't hurt you by being with you, we can continue as we are now. You can still live your life as you were meant to."

He still didn't get it. "That isn't what I want."

"Isn't knowing that I will love you and I will be with you for the rest of your life enough?"

I sat up and glared at him.

"Exactly how do you plan on being by my side? As what? My husband at first? Then what? When I get older do you plan to pose as my son? What about when I'm old? Will you pose as my grandson? What kind of life is that?"

He sat up and exclaimed, "It's a life that doesn't destroy your soul!"

So were back to that again. My soul.

"That isn't a life for you! It is a life sentence! Tied to someone that you won't recognize after a few decades."

"It would be an honor to be beside you for the rest of your life. And when you go, I will go too. I won't face a future without you in my life."

"Do you think I could agree to that knowing that at the end of my life you would end yours? Is letting me die and me knowing that you will die a better alternative to changing me?"

He ran his hand through his hair in agitation. "What if you regret it? What if you hate me for changing you into a monster?"

"Is that how you see yourself? A monster?"

"How else would you describe what this life can compel you to do? How else would you describe the vampire doing these murders?"

"Whoever is doing these murders isn't a monster because they are a vampire. He is not killing to survive. He is killing for the joy of killing and to toy with me. He would be a monster if he was a vampire or a human. You, Edward, are not a monster."

I moved back to him on the bed and I caressed his cheek. I felt a tingle from the contact and the way is nose flared I knew he felt it too. I looked into his beautiful face and hoped he truly heard my words.

"You constantly tell me that I don't see myself clearly. Don't you see? It is you that doesn't see himself clearly. You aren't a monster because you are a vampire. It is an individual's actions that can make someone a monster whether they are human or something more."

"Bella, I've killed."

"Yes. So has my father. He isn't a monster. He has killed to protect just as you have killed to protect."

He shook his head but I continued.

"If you change me, I promise I will never blame you."

He turned away from me. "No, Edward, look at me." He finally made eye contact again so I continued. "Don't you understand that I am tired of being the victim? I'm tired of being the damsel in distress. I can't be with you and be the human that has to be taken care of like a child. I need to be changed if I have any hope of being an equal in this relationship. I think you forget that unlike all of you, I understand what it means to be one of you. I would be going into it knowing exactly what changing me means and I would do it accepting everything that comes with it."

"But your soul…"

I sighed. "The change won't take away my soul." I placed my hand on his chest and said. "Can you really look at Carlisle and Esme and believe they have no soul? I know your changing me won't take away my soul because I know you have a soul."

He shook his head but I wouldn't let him shut me out. "Edward, you have a soul or you couldn't love. Where else does love come from if not from the soul? And yours is beautiful. I see it and feel it because of the way you have loved me and loved your family. You just need to see that."

I could see he wanted to believe my words but that belief had to come from within him. I knew it was true. I planted the seed. Now, I just had to wait to see if it took root.

"Look, we don't need to make any decisions tonight. Think about what I've said."

Edward looked grateful for the reprieve.

"Now, I'm tired of Emmett's teasing. I think we should give them a run for their money."

He pulled me in his arms and showed me that he had picked up a few things over the years from Emmett's lack of discretion.

XXXX

EPOV

I stared at Bella while she slept. She could never understand how much I cherished these moments. I laughed at her skeptical look when she questioned me about it.

" _Surely, you must be bored."_

" _On the contrary, I get the supreme luxury of holding your delectable body."_

" _Perv."_

" _Ah, but I'm your perv. I also enjoy the commentary while you sleep."_

 _She blushed and I had to kiss her heated cheeks until she giggled. I loved her laugh. There hadn't been enough laughter in my existence to take any moment of it for granted._

" _What do I say?"_

" _Well that is the entertaining part. You blurt out some very random things and then I try to figure out what you are dreaming about." Those were some of the many moments that made me regret that I couldn't see into her mind. I would have loved to have experienced her dreams vicariously._

The sun peeked through the drapes. While it looked sunny now, Alice said that it would be overcast today so we could attend classes. I hated to wake her up when she looked so peaceful and innocent. I hated for the reality of the day to intrude on her when she finally looked relaxed. I lightly traced the skin between her eyebrows that too often was scrunched up into a vee in worry.

"Bella."

She wrinkled her nose and turned over to push her face into the pillow.

"Bella, sweetheart, it's time get up."

She snuggled deeper in response to my words.

"Come on sleepyhead. It's almost time for school."

"Don't want to get up. Just fifteen more minutes, Dad."

I laughed. My girl was not a morning person.

"Bella, you have to get up soon. You said you needed an extra hour so you could read a chapter before class this morning."

"I'll wing it."

I knew better. She hated when she wasn't prepared. I felt guilty for keeping her up so late last night, but I didn't regret a moment of it. After we made love, I spent the rest of the night thinking of her words about my soul. I wanted to believe her. She made a sound argument when she brought up Carlisle and Esme. How could they be soulless when good radiated off of them? How could I think of them as monsters when they have only ever loved unconditionally?

Her words offered hope. Hope of a future with her by myside for an eternity. I just had to be believe that getting what I wanted wouldn't damn her.

I went back to the matter at hand and tried to coax her from her warm nest. "If you get up, Esme will have a big glass of orange juice and breakfast ready for you."

She sighed and rolled back so she faced me. She looked at me with sleepy eyes. There was an element of suspicion as if she was assessing the veracity of my words. I thought, ' _Tell the girl there are vampires – immediate acceptance. Tell her there will be food waiting for her if she gets out of bed – not so much.'_

Thirty minutes later she and Leah again enjoyed Esme's culinary breakfast efforts. It was hard for them to truly understand that we never slept. If it weren't for the change in clothes, everyone was essentially where we left them the night before.

Carlisle had changed into a different suit. He walked up to Esme as she cooked some bacon for Leah. He kissed the side of Esme's head and said, "I have to leave. I have two surgeries scheduled for this morning."

Esme stopped moving the bacon around, wiped her hands and then straightened Carlisle's tie.

He gave her a sweet smile. "Do you want me to pick anything up when I come home now that we have hungry children in the house?"

Emmett couldn't help himself. "If you see any bear, please bring one home."

Carlisle ignored him. Esme kissed him and said, "I'll pop out while everyone is at school. I need to drop off some plans to that architectural firm on Elm Street that I have been doing some freelance work for."

Carlisle nodded and turned to me. "Are you going to follow up with Lauren today?"

"We thought we would try her at her apartment after classes today."

"Call me if you find out anything of interest." I nodded and he left.

Classes went slow. It could have been my impatience but it seemed like they were extra boring today. Bella, on the other hand, looked as interested and engaged as ever. I enjoyed doing things with Bella because her enthusiasm for even the ordinary made everything seem fresh and new.

We were finally done at three. Jasper had tracked down Lauren's address and Bella and I drove to the Mount Vernon apartments just outside of the south side of campus. These apartments were a bit more upscale then the apartments where Bella and Leah lived. You could tell the students came from money in this area as most of the cars in the parking lots were BMW's and Mercedes.

We located her building and knocked on her door. I heard some shuffling and then a pretty girl in workout clothes opened the door. She looked us over and I could hear her thoughts immediately. _I don't know what he is selling but I am buying. Thank god I am wearing the sports bra that pushes up my boobs._

I tried not to roll my eyes and made sure they did not drop to said boobs. She dragged her gaze away from me and I saw when the light bulb went off.

"Bella, isn't it?"

Bella gave her a friendly smile. "That's right. We were looking for Lauren. Is she home?"

I got a jumbled sense of images in which she was bickering with Lauren but no clear thoughts.

"I'm afraid she isn't here right now. I just got back from the sorority house and, like I found a note on the fridge saying that she needed to go home for a few days."

"Oh. That's a shame. We saw her on campus a while ago and she seemed to recognize someone from a group we were with and we wanted to ask her a few questions."

"I wish I could help you, but like, she and I haven't really been hanging out since she found the boyfriend." Based on her expression, it didn't take a mind reader to see she wasn't too thrilled with Lauren's new boyfriend.

Something seemed to click with Bella. "Lauren mentioned him the last few times I saw her on campus. I don't think she ever told me his name."

The girl just stood there not taking a hint. "Oh." She finally said. "I think it was like Robert or Roger or something."

"She seemed to imply that she knew him from somewhere else before they met here at school. We thought he might be the guy that Lauren recognized when we met on campus. She mentioned that he's been staying here. Is he around?"

Again some jumbled images of them fighting.

"No. I'm happy to say that he must have left went she did."

Bella tried a different tack. "I know this is going to sound crazy but my boyfriend and I have a bet going that Lauren's new boyfriend is a guy that we went to school with." Bella leaned in said in a lower tone. "We really wanted to get a look at him so we could settle the bet. You wouldn't have any pictures of him? You know maybe a photo on your phone when you guys were out at the bars or something?"

"To tell you the truth I've never really gotten a good look at the guy."

She must have seen the incredulity on our faces. "Like I've spent most of the time she's been with him at the sorority house. It was, like Sorority Rush when she met him and I was never here. When I finally came home, I didn't appreciate her moving some guy into our apartment. When he first got here, he never, like, left her room when I was home. It creeped me out when she would leave for classes and I would hear him in her room. But he _never_ came out. It was, like, really weird. I mean he had to use the bathroom, like sometime, right? But _no_. I spent eight hours in the apartment one day expecting him to leave her room at least once and, like, nothing. After that I was, like, _I'm out of here_. So I moved into my big sisters room at the sorority house and I just came home to pick up some clothes."

I scanned her mind as she spoke but no images of a man appeared. I could clearly see her big sister's sorority house room. Even with vampire eyesight, I didn't know there were that many shades of pink in the color spectrum.

"Well, if you hear from Lauren can you ask her to give me a call?" Bella took a piece of paper and a pen out of her purse and jotted down her information. "Here's my cell phone number."

"Like, sure. I'll tell her." She took the paper from Bella's hand and closed the door.

We walked back to the car and as I turned on the ignition Bella said, "Like, I don't think she, like, knows anything."

I laughed. "I weep for the verbal skills of this generation."

"Could you read her mind?"

"Yes, but no images of a man came up when you asked her the questions about Lauren's boyfriend. I could see the replay of when she waited for him to come out of Lauren's room but all I got was a lot of her staring at a closed door."

"I can't believe our best lead is in Forks."

I nodded.

"Good question on the cell phone photo."

"Ok, this sounds weird as I ask it but, could you smell anything?"

"Yes. I could definitely smell a vampire.

"Did it smell like Callum?"

"No, it was a scent I was unfamiliar with."

"So it's not Callum?"

"Maybe, maybe not. I can't say conclusively. Like we said last night, Callum could have some special ability that we don't know about."

"So we are nowhere."

I shared her sense of frustration. "Let's check in with Jasper. Maybe he was able to dig something up."

xxxx

I drove Bella to her apartment so she could pick up some clothes to bring back to the house. Alice told her she would just ship in some clothes overnight but Bella refused. I held her hand as we walked up to her building.

"Bella, wait."

"What is it?"

"I don't suppose you would wait in the car for a moment?"

"Edward, what is it? Is it a vampire?"

"No. It seems you have other company." I could smell the scent of the wolves.


	36. Chapter 36 - Echoes of the Past

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** Idon't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire. Thanks to all the new followers and favorites. Thank you so much to those readers that consistently review. If you haven't left a review before, please tell me what you think. I love hearing from you guys.

 **Chapter 36 – Echoes of the Past**

" _Edward, what is it? Is it a vampire?"_

" _No. It seems you have other company." I could smell the scent of the wolves._

She looked at me impatiently and sprinted up the stairs so I quickly followed her. Four large men jumped up from the top steps near her door. They were muscular, tanned and looked like they were in their twenties but based on what Bella had told me, they were actually much younger. I knew from Leah's mind that they were Seth, Embry, Quill and a young wolf named Brady.

They must have caught my scent before they saw me because I could hear their thoughts and they were not complimentary. They were fragmented but I caught 'blood sucker', 'cold one' and 'can't believe she went back to the fang-gang'. Ok, that was a new one.

I saw the youngest tremble as I drew closer. He was volatile which made me fear for Bella. I went to pull her back out of Brady's reach but Embry put a hand on his shoulder and calmed him down. "Stand down," he said quietly. Brady went still but remained alert.

Bell, oblivious to any danger, threw herself into the arms of the tallest of the four men like they were harmless oversized teddy bears. "Seth! What are you doing here?" She pulled back and looked him in the eye and quickly asked, "Is your Mom alright? Is Charlie, ok?"

He laughed. "Gees, Bells, give me a chance to answer one of the questions. Mom's good. Charlie looked stressed when I left him trying to put together a crib. That was not pretty."

Bella turned to Embry. "Embry! I can't believe you are here. How's your Grandma?"

Embry smiled. "She misses your lasagna." Bella looked pleased by the compliment.

She moved on to Brady and it took all my self-control to stop her. "Oh my God. You've grown at least six inches, Brady!" He blushed. "How's, Grace?"

I got a flash of a pretty young Native American girl that he clearly adored. Then the phrase ' _my imprint_ ' along with a quick, _'Wish Jake had imprinted on Bella. She was the best. I can't believe she is with a blood sucker, now. Why did Jake have to meet Vanessa.'_

"She's great, Bella. She said to tell you hi and Jana misses reading with you."

""Give them both a hug from me. I wish I could take Jana to this great book store Edward took me to here in Portland. The children section is unbelievable. I'll write down the link for her."

Finally, she turned to Quill. "Hey, Quil. How's Claire-Bear?"

He looked at her with such love, I wanted to snatch her away and take her somewhere they would never find her. "She misses you, Bella."

Bella nodded, looked around the giant men and said skeptically, "So, you guys just decided to drive over for a visit?"

I knew the answer. Reading Brady's mind was like watching a television on steroids.

"Leah, called us last night. She told us about the murders." Seth said and then looked at me. "She mentioned that the Cullens think it is a vampire. We thought you might need some help."

Bella looked at all of them sadly. "You guys didn't have to do that. This isn't your concern."

Quil looked at Bella seriously, "Did you really think we wouldn't come? I told you, if you ever needed me I would be there."

I didn't like this. What the hell was going on here? Was this wolf in love with her too? I picked up on some of his thoughts. He wasn't as easy to read as the puppy, but I saw flashes of a little girl which I assumed was the Claire that Bella inquired about and then a quick flash of Bella looking sad in a hospital room. Finally, I caught a piece of a conversation Seth and Quil had with another muscular man. I recognized him from Leah's thoughts, it was Sam.

I finally spoke up. "They also wanted to check on you, Bella. They are concerned that you are around me and my family, again."

Bella turned to the boys. She looked angry. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm ok. The Cullens have been nothing but wonderful to me _and_ to Leah."

"We know." Seth soothed her. "Leah filled us in on everything." Seth turned to me. "Thank you for taking care of my sisters." He turned back to Bella and said seriously, "You know this isn't going to go over well with Charlie."

Bella sighed and wouldn't meet my gaze. "I know. I _will_ tell him about Edward, but I didn't want to upset him while he has been so stressed out about your Mom and the baby."

Seth nodded.

"Does Leah know you are here?"

"No, we wanted to surprise her. I left a message on her cell phone when we got here but she hasn't called me back yet."

"Well, why don't you come inside and I'll give her a call. Are you guys' hungry? I've got a couple of trays of lasagna in the freezer that I can heat up for you while we wait for Leah."

I gathered from their reaction that her question was rhetorical. She unlocked the front door. Seth followed her in but the other three held back. Bella looked at them questioningly.

"We're just going to get our bags from the car," Quil told her.

She looked at him skeptically. "Play nice, boys."

I knew they would love to take a run at me but I could see how much they cared and respected Bell. Quil and the rest of the guys, including myself, nodded and she went inside. We walked to the sidewalk near where they had parked their car.

"A little out of your territory aren't you wolf?" I fired the first shot. Quil seemed to be in charge so I addressed my comment to him. I was concerned that they could undo all the progress that Bella and I made.

His nostrils flared in anger but then he calmed himself down. He focused on thoughts of Bella. I could see her teasing him at some big gathering near a river, Quil chasing her with a little girl on his shoulders at the beach, Bella slapping his hand as he reached for the last slice of pizza in a garage surrounded by mechanical parts. Shit, did I have to worry about this mutt too?

"Is there something I should be concerned about between you and Bella?"

He looked surprised and then laughed. "No, Bella and I are just good friends."

"It seems like a lot of trouble to go to for a friend or even the step-sister of a pack mate."

Again, Brady's mind made this easy. ' _What is he talking about? Bella, is the best. We would do anything for her. She was the only one I could talk to when they wouldn't even let me tell my Mom what was going on. Can't believe Jake treated her the way he did."_

Quil shrugged. "I would be here for Bella no matter what, vampire. As you should know, she is one of the kindest and most loyal persons I know. I'm sure Leah told you how much she went out of her way for the guys in the pack, their families, and even the kids on the reservation. She used to cook meals for the shut-ins on the reservation. She always had a pot of soup for someone's family member that was sick. She even tutored the kids at the reservation school. For that alone, we would all be here. But the truth is, we owe her a debt." Then he said more solemnly, "I owe her a debt. When Seth told us about Leah's phone call, we all insisted on coming."

"What could you possibly owe Bella?"

' _He owes her his imprint,"_ went through Brady's head _._

"If Bella hasn't told you then it isn't my place to say."

I knew if I asked the right questions or provoked them the right way, I could get the story from them. There was obviously more to the story then what Bella had told the family.

"Does it have to do with Victoria and your imprint?" Hoping to get more of the story and understanding of the term imprint.

Sure enough I got flashes again. This time it was of a building that must have been on the reservation based on the architectural style.

"She told you about Victoria?"

"Yes, she said Victoria showed up at one of your celebrations, tried to attack a child but your pack was able to catch her and destroy her."

"Well that summary is accurate but sparing."

I got a quick flash of that little girl running and Victoria holding Bella by the throat in the air. That made my fists clench.

"Was the child related to you?"

This time I got the picture of laughter, absolute joy, protectiveness and cords of steel. "What is imprinting?"

"She told you about imprinting?"

"She mentioned the term," I lied hoping it would goad more information from one of the wolves.

"It doesn't concern you so you don't need to know anything about it." Embry said. But the youngest couldn't help himself. I saw a quick rush of pictures of his imprint and the other wolves explaining to him what happened when he met her.

" _Brady, it's ok. What you feel is natural because you have found your true mate."_

" _Like Sam and Emily?"_

" _Exactly."_

" _What about Jake and Bella? They've been together for a long time. Is she his imprint?"_

 _Leah looked sad. "No, Jake hasn't imprinted on Bella."_

Then he got memories from the entire pack that Brady had received when he was in wolf form. This kid was a gold mine of information. He could see the conversation that Embry had with Brady.

" _Brady, when we are in wolf form we can read each other's minds. We see each other's thoughts." Brady must have looked confused because Embry put it in terms he could relate to, "It's like the Vulcan mind meld."_

That's when Brady learned that Sam had been with Leah before he imprinted on Emily. He felt bad for her and he was thankful he had found his imprint before he hurt someone like Sam hurt Leah and Jake hurt Bella.

He couldn't stop himself. He looked at Brady and demanded, "How did Jake hurt Bella?"

Brady's eyes opened wide at the question and he couldn't hold back a barrage of images. _There was a wedding. Bella looked happy as she stood with the rest of the guests and smiled at the bride walking down the makeshift aisle on the beach. Bella was stunning in a gold and black beaded dress. Jake was beside her in a suit._ I wanted to kill him for the hungry look he had in his eyes as he looked at Bella instead of the bride. _Brady changed his gaze and I recognized Sam as he held his hand out for the bride. She looked radiant, even with the scars on her face that were only partially hidden by her hair._

The images skipped to the reception. _Brady looked at Grace proudly as they slow danced. She was the prettiest girl in school and she loved him. He was so lucky. Grace smiled at him and then looked at Bella and Jake._

" _It's a shame he hasn't imprinted on her. They look so happy together and she is so nice. You know she was tutoring my little sister in reading. My Mom said that Jana is now reading at a level above her grade thanks to her."_

" _Yeah, she's great." Bella was nothing but kindness when he first went through the change. She made sure he had clothes when he tore through everything he owned when he couldn't control his phasing. She made sure he got fed when he tried to hold his own at Emily's dinner table. She made the guys cut him a break when the teasing and the pranks got out of control. He knew they were all a little scared of her. He heard she punched Paul. He wished he could have seen that. He heard Paul changed into his wolf right in front of her and she didn't back down until Jake made her._

" _Emily said they were friends for a while before she finally agreed to date him. Do you think she didn't want to date him because of the imprint thing? I mean, what if he meets someone like Sam did?"_

 _I shrugged. "He doesn't think that will happen. He's been in love with her since they played together as toddlers. Ever since she came back to Forks to live with her dad he's been obsessed with her. He wants to marry her. He's been worried that one of those vamps that used to live here might come back for her ever since I picked up that scent around her house. I think he's more worried about her leaving him than he is imprinting on someone else."_

 _She looked back at Bella. "I don't know if I would risk it, knowing what I know now."_

Brady looked upset at me. "How did you know what I was th…? Hey! Stay out of my head!" He started to tremble again.

I wanted more. "You didn't answer me. How did Jake hurt Bella?"

Quil stopped him. "Brady, why don't you go into the house?"

Brady didn't look like he wanted to obey but he finally nodded and went into the apartment.

I turned to Quil. I wanted answers. "How did Jake hurt Bella?"

Embry spoke first. "I gather you were able to pick up some information from Brady?"

"Yes. If you don't tell me what I want to know, I'll just keep trying with the kid."

"Why should we tell you any of this if Bella hasn't? I don't want her hurt again."

"You know Bella. You know she only tells you want she thinks she should to protect you. She never thinks about herself. I know that my kind is not what you want for her. I can tell you all care about her. But I love her more than my own existence. If she is holding something back that I need to know so I don't hurt her, I need you to tell me."

Quil seemed to understand but muttered, "You left her. I remember what she was like when she started to hang out with Jake." Again I saw the images that haunted me of the hollowed eye and underweight Bella. "Why should we help you?"

"If you really do share each other's minds and Leah has shared what is going on over here with Seth than you know that I didn't leave her because I didn't love her. After her attack by Victoria's mate, James, I thought she would be safer if we got out of her life."

"Yeah, that didn't work too well." Embry snickered.

"I know that, now. Please, I love her and want to protect her. What happened?"

' _Leah trusts him and Leah never trusts anyone. She said he has been good for her. I hate that she is back with the vamp but if he makes her happy…."_

Quil looked at Embry and Embry nodded.

"I'm sure Leah told you that Jake started to chase Bella as soon as your family left Forks. He was really good to her and for her. He helped bring her back to life. At first she put him in the friend zone and then after a year, she finally agreed to a date. Things were good for them but Jake was upset that Bella always held back."

Embry picked up the story from Quil. "The month before Jake and Bella broke up we were all at a bonfire at the beach. Brady, caught the scent of a vampire near Bella's house while on patrol. Jake was convinced it was you. That's when he really started to pressure Bella for a commitment. He wanted to tie her to him both physically and emotionally before you tried to get her back. Jake knew she was worried that he had never imprinted on her. She had seen what Leah went through and didn't want that to happen to her. He kept reassuring her and she finally gave in the night of Sam and Emily's wedding."

They looked embarrassed to impart this part of the story. I wanted to tear something apart at the thought of Jake and Bella together like that. I hated the fact that these wolves knew about such an intimate moment for Bella.

"Jake left Bella's house before Charlie got back from working the night shift. The guys and I had just finished cleaning up the community center when we saw him.'

As Quil resumed the story, I could see it like a movie that unfolded in Quil's head. I saw the guys hanging outside of one of the reservation houses in the early morning light.

" _What the fuck, Black? Where was your lazy ass? You were supposed to be here this morning to help clean up the hall."_

 _Jake smiled a shit-eating grin. "Sorry. I forgot. Give me a chance to shower and I'll help you finish."_

 _Paul sniffed. "You stink of sex!"_

 _The other guys hooted in laughter. "How was your right hand, Jake?"_

" _Fuck off you assholes."_

 _Paul sniffed again. "You did it didn't you? You finally got Bella to pop your cherry!"_

 _Jake shoved Paul, "Shut your frigging mouth you dick."_

" _I can't believe that vamp lover finally gave it up to you."_

 _Jake went for Paul when Old Quil broke it up by saying, "Paul, isn't it your turn to patrol right now?"_

 _Paul looked like he wanted to finish the fight._

" _Paul?" Old Quil stared Paul down and Paul reluctantly nodded and jogged off into the woods that bordered the community hall._

 _Embry said, "You might as well tell us. We'll all see the next time you phase."_

" _Look, it's private. And if any of you tease Bella the next time you see her I'll kick your asses."_

 _The guys laughed again. Quil turned to Jake. "I know you didn't get much sleep but could you do me a favor and run me to the Macah reservation? My Mom's sister just moved back with her family from the East Coast and I promised my Mom I would meet her there for a barbeque this afternoon."_

" _I was going to hang out with Bella."_

" _You'll be back in plenty of time and you'll even get fed. Come on. You owe me. Who covered for you with Charlie when you and Bella fell asleep at the beach last month at the bonfire?"_

" _Fine. Fine. Let me give Bella a call first."_

 _Jake dialed Bella's number and the guys started to make kissy sounds and yells of "I love you Bella!"_

" _I can't live without you Bella!"_

" _Here are my balls, Bella!"_

 _Jake gave them the finger and continued to talk softly into the phone. A few minutes later he said goodbye and the guys filed into the car._

 _Jake pulled up in front of Quil's aunt's house two hours later. Quill introduced Jake and Embry to his aunt and uncle. "Too bad you boys are late. You just missed your cousin, Vanessa."_

 _Embry elbowed Quil. "You never said you had a girl cousin."_

" _Don't even think it. She is off limits to you mutts."_

 _Jake held his hands up. "Hey, I'm taken."_

" _That just leaves me," Embry said with a sly grin._

 _Quil and the guys walked over to Quills Mom who immediately started to fuss over the boys and make them plates. "You boys are growing so fast. Eat! Eat! There's plenty."_

 _They didn't need to be told twice. The guys wolfed down the food like it was their last meal. Jake was in mid bite when he saw a tall beautiful girl walk over to the table. "Quil!"_

 _Quil stood up and grabbed her in for a hug. He turned her around and Jake and Embry stood up._

" _Vanessa, these are my boys Embry and Jake." Embry gave her his best sexy grin. Vanessa smiled politely and then turned to Jake. She shook his hand as she looked into his eyes and Jake's life changed forever._

" _Oh, shit."_

 _XXXX_

" _Jake, you have to talk to her. You have to tell her what happened. She deserves to know."_

" _I know that!" He paced around the garage in agitation as he muttered to himself. "Why? Why didn't we wait just an extra day? This wouldn't be the disaster it is if we had just waited."_

" _Jake, man up. You need to tell Bella the truth. I could barely look her in the eye today when she came around with that lasagna for you. Paul was a total dick. He gave enough clues that a blind man could figure out what happened. Don't let her hear about it that way. It isn't fair to her."_

" _Did you know that Paul is pushing Sam to pull back on the patrols around her house?"_

" _Yeah, I know."_

" _Do you think that is a good idea? We don't know if that vampire scent around Bella's house was really one of the Cullens. You know that we couldn't pick up their scent well enough from their house to really say it matched."_

" _Aren't you worried that Bella could still be at risk from the red head?"_

" _I'll talk to Sam to keep up the patrols."_

 _XXXX_

" _Did you talk to Bella?" Sam asked Jake as they sat around Emily's kitchen table._

" _No. Charlie has been on my Dad's ass but I don't know what to say."_

" _Just tell her, 'Bella, I'm sorry. I imprinted.' Isn't the truth better than silence? She was there for you, Jake. She never judged you and you are treating her like she is invisible. Ignoring the problem isn't going to make it go away. What if she sees you with Vanessa?"_

 _XXXX_

" _Jake?" Bella's sad voice cried out._

 _Jake tore his gaze away from the tall and tanned girl to see across the bonfire the petite and pale girl he had chased incessantly for the last three years. He saw the hurt and the tears in her eyes. He looked back at the Native American beauty by his side and he saw the question in her eyes._

" _Bella, wait!"_

I could see the replay of Bella and Jake's confrontation on the beach. I saw Jake stumble through an explanation to Bella. I saw the devastation and then resignation on Bella's face and I wanted to maim him for hurting her.

XXXX

" _Jake, I'm telling you Bella is pregnant. I was dropping something off at Charlie's and it was just like Emily. I could smell the change in her scent."_

Pregnant?! She had been pregnant with that mongrel's child?! What about the baby? Where was the baby?

" _What am I going to do? What do I tell Vanessa? I can't believe I fucked this up so much."_

" _She's talking about leaving Forks. She's talking about moving to Jacksonville."_

" _Maybe, it's better that way."_

" _Get your head out of your ass, Black. She is possibly carrying a future pack member. She has to stay here so we can protect the baby."_

" _We don't know if her baby will have the gene."_

" _We don't know if_ _ **your**_ _baby won't. How can you just let her leave with your child?"_

" _How do you think Vanessa will react to having this child around? At least in Jacksonville, we could arrange some type of visitation so I'm not rubbing Vanessa's face in it all the time."_

" _Jake, is that fair to Bella?"_

" _You mean how you were fair to Leah? Don't be such a fucking hypocrite. Ask Leah how she feels about Emily's pregnancy. Oh, that's right. You don't have to. We all know exactly how she's feeling every time we patrol."_

 _XXXXX_

" _You invited her to our engagement party?" Vanessa screeched._

" _I had to. She was my best friend. She's also the mother of my child and we have to show everyone that we are alright with all of this."_

" _Well, I'm not alright with this, Jake. This is supposed to be our special night and now I have to put up with the pitying looks of everyone because you couldn't keep it in your pants."_

" _I'm sorry, Vanessa. Please," he entreated, "make the effort for me."_

" _Fine. But we are going to have to work something else out after the wedding."_

 _XXXX_

" _Charlie! Bella! Thank you both for coming." Billy Black said with Jake and Vanessa by his side._

 _Bella nodded and said graciously, "Congratulations. I hope you both will be very happy."_

 _Jake couldn't meet her eyes and Vanessa didn't look pleased when she scanned Bella in the attractive formal maternity dress. It did its best to flatter but it didn't hide the swell of Bella's stomach._

 _Bella sat at the outcast table in the back of the room._

" _Bella! Bella!" A little girl in a white party dress with little blue and purple flowers squealed when she saw Bella. Quil stopped to talk to Bella._

" _Hey, Bella. You look beautiful."_

" _Thanks Quil._

 _The little girl tugged on Quil's jacket. "I left the present in the car? Can I go get it?"_

 _Quil told the girl no and she looked disappointed but determined. A while later, Quil looked around the room. He turned to Emily and said, "Where's Claire?"_

 _Emily looked around, "I don't know. Now that I think about it I haven't seen her in a while."_

" _Shit! She's been bugging me to take her outside so she could get Jake's gift out of Sam's car." Quil got up and walked towards the community center's front door. Before he got there, Claire ran through the door with tears running down her face and her hair and her dress were in disarray._

 _She took one look at Quil and threw herself in his arms. "Quil! Hurry! Some bad lady has Bella! You gotta help her."_

 _That caught the attention of the other pack members that were near. They ran for the door as Emily and Billy Black kept the rest of the guests distracted._

 _The men shifted at the sight of Bella held up by her neck and then tossed around like a rag doll in the parking lot. They attacked Victoria as a coordinated group and for once her ability to elude them failed. They tore her apart and burned the pieces. Sam ran over to the bloodied and broken body lying beside a car. Bella's shoulder was at an awkward angle and there was blood running down her legs._

" _Bella, Bella. Stay with me."_

" _Jake?"_

" _No, it's Sam. You're going to be alright, Bella. Just stay with me."_

 _XXXX_

 _Quil and Claire walked into Bella's hospital room. Her throat had bruises and her arm was in a sling._

 _Her eyes were sad and empty._

 _The little girl handed Bella a tattered teddy bear, "This is Rufus," she said solemnly. "Momma gives him to me whenever I feel sick and he makes me feel better." The little girl looked up trustingly at the man holding her hand. "Quil said you were sick, so I thought Rufus could stay with you until you feel better."_

 _Bella's eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Claire. Just holding him makes me feel better."_

 _Emily came in and took the little girl away and Quil wiped his hand down the front of his face. "Bella, I don't know how I will ever repay you for what you did. You put yourself in front of that evil monster and gave Claire enough time to get help."_

 _Bella didn't say anything._

" _Bells, we heard about the baby. I'm so sorry. We know just how much you sacrificed for all of us. We can never repay that but if you ever need us we will be there for you."_

 _She just nodded._

 _Jake showed up later looking awkward._

" _I'm sorry, Bella. Claire told us what you said and did to get Victoria to let her get away. You sacrificed so much to keep one of ours safe and we can't thank you enough."_

 _He could see her reaction to "ours". He knew those words put her outside of the pack, outside of the circle of friends she had made at the reservation._

 _He took a deep breath and said, "Maybe it's better this way."_

 _She turned her head away and just told him to leave._

I growled in distress and anger. My heart broke for the pain and suffering that Bella went through. I remembered her words when I begged her forgiveness for leaving her. _"You made a unilateral decision about us that had long reaching consequences to so many people."_

How could she forgive me for all the pain she suffered?

Quil's voice broke me out of my self-recriminations. "So you see why I'm here. I'm partially responsible for bringing Vanessa into Jake's life and ruining their relationship. Instead of hating me, she risked her life to save my imprint. She saved Claire at the cost of her baby's life and the chance of future children. How could anyone repay that?"

"What do you mean? Future children."

"Her injuries were so severe the doctors' told her it would be unlikely she would be able to have another child."

I closed my eyes and fought the rage that coursed through my system. The monster wanted to be released so it could take revenge on all those unworthy players in the horrible farce that Bella had suffered through. Before I could act on the impulse, Leah walked up the sidewalk. She looked surprised to see Quil and Embry.

"Quil! What are you guys doing here?"

"We drove over with Seth. He told us about your phone call last night and Sam agreed we should come down with Seth." I saw Leah wince at Sam's name. Poor, Leah. I didn't realize all the pain she covered up with her foul mouth and wise cracks.

"I told Seth not to come," Leah said. "We still don't know enough to get you guys involved."

"Leah, we wanted to make sure you and Bella were safe."

"Quil, why don't you go inside," I wanted to talk to Leah. "Bella has probably put some food out for you guys."

Quil looked at me and then at Leah. "Sure. I'll see you inside." He turned to go but I stopped him.

"Don't mention this to, Bella."

He nodded in understanding and walked up the steps to the apartment.

Leah took one look at me and Quil's retreating back and said, "You know everything now don't you?"

"Yes. Why didn't you tell me when you railed at me a few weeks ago?"

"It wasn't my story to tell. Quil shouldn't have said anything."

"Don't you think I had the right to know? This is my fault. My actions put all of that into motion. I don't know how Bella can forgive me."

"Edward, don't fuck this up. Feel bad for her, but she is in a good place now. She loves you. Don't let what you learned now screw everything up for you."

"I want to kill him, Leah. I want to tear him to pieces for all the pain he caused, Bella."

"Don't be a fool. She wouldn't want you to do that. She loves you. She wants to be with you. Don't let your anger and guilt mess everything up for you."

I knew this wasn't over but I nodded.

"Look, tell Bella I needed to run home but I'll be back. I need a little time by myself."

XXXXX

I drove outside of town and parked the car. I needed to run. I needed to find a way to release the rage I felt. I took off into the forest and ran as fast as I could. If something got in my way, I plowed through it.

Why didn't she tell me? How could she leave this out of her story?

I climbed a sheer cliff face. My fingers dug hand holds as if the rock was made of chalk. I got to the top and looked out over the horizon. It took all my self-control to stop myself from running towards Forks. I wanted to confront Jake. How could he be so careless with Bella? How could he put her at risk the way he did?

Then I stopped myself, knowing that at the root of it all, I put her at risk. I left her. I set it all in motion. I dropped to my knees and sobbed. I was denied the release of tears but I couldn't stop the cries that wracked my body. I cried for Bella's loss and I cried for what I could never give her to make her whole.

I finally made my way back to the car. I had to get back to Bella before she got suspicious. I grabbed a change of clothes from the trunk and took off the ripped shirt and dirty pants. My cell phone rang.

"Edward, are you alright? I got this vision of you knocking trees down. Did something happen?"

"Everything is fine. I was just hunting."

"Do you want me to come meet you? Or would you like me to send one of the guys out?"

"No, I just needed to burn some steam off. I need to get back to Bella's. I'll explain later tonight when I get back."

I was relieved when she went against character and didn't pry. I finished changing and I drove back to Bella's.

Leah let me in and I joined the rest of the group at the kitchen table. Things were still tense between me and the wolves but they made the effort to be civil. The wolves asked Leah for more details of what we had learned. Leah answered some of the questions that Quil and Embry had and then suggested that they meet with Jasper and the rest of my family the next day.

They didn't seemed thrilled with the idea of working with vampires but they were concerned enough about Leah and Bella to put aside cultural hatreds while we all shared a common goal. Thanks to Bella's good cooking and Leah's diplomacy, the wolves and I reached a détente. The guys did the dishes and then Leah tried to convince them that there wasn't much they could do at this point.

"It's not like you guys can run patrols," she said wryly.

Good. I wanted to get Bella alone so we could talk about what I had found out. Before I could suggest that we leave the guys to get settled for the night, Seth looked over at his sister with a sly grin. I knew what he was going to say and I knew any conversation with Bella would have to wait.

"Good, then why don't you show us some of the nightlife that college campuses are so famous for?"

"None of you are of age, you dipstick."

"Leah, look at us. Do you really think anyone is going to card us?"

Seth was correct. None of them got carded but Bella and I did at every bar to which we took them, much to my chagrin. Bella looked like she was having a great time and for once she looked like a carefree twenty something.

"Should you go get our little brother before those sorority girls kidnap him and take him back to their sorority house and have their evil way with him?"

Embry had long been culled from the herd and whisked away by a cute blond that had said the magic phrase, 'I'm on the University's gymnastic team." Seth and Quil had groaned in envy and Embry just grinned smugly as he was led out of the bar.

Leah looked at the feigning girls around her baby brother in disgust. "Do you think it would matter to them if we told them he was seventeen?"

A blond with large breasts whispered in his ear and ran her hand up his muscular thigh.

Bella looked at Leah and giggled. "Nope. They look like they want to cover him in chocolate and eat him."

I turned to Quil and asked, "Is it hard to miss out on all of that?"

"No. I don't even think about it. Well, the gymnast thing might keep me up tonight." We both laughed. "At least I know that I have an imprint. He still has to go through the uncertainty." I nodded in understanding. Based on what I picked up from Seth's thoughts across the room, as long as that blond kept rubbing his thigh, he wasn't that worried about finding his imprint.

The bartender called out last call. Leah walked over to Seth and his harem. She slapped him across the face and said, "How could you? My doctor just told me I have chlamydia. You know I was a virgin, you asshole. Now I'm diseased."

The blond moved her hand so fast you would have thought it was on fire. She and her sorority sisters gave Seth an awkward goodbye and left like someone chased them.

Seth looked at his sister. "That was cold."

Leah just smirked at him. "I'm doing this for your own good. You don't know where those girls have been."

"Who cares? I just know where I wanted them to be."

"Yeah, well not on my watch. Come on, baby brother. Time to tuck you in."

Leah took me aside. "Why don't you take Bella back to your place? I'll take the guys back to the apartment.

"Sounds good."

"Edward, remember what I said earlier."

xxxxxxxx

Bella had a few drinks at the bar so she was feeling relaxed when we got back to my cottage. I kept hearing Leah's words about knot screwing this up so I focused on taking care of buzzed Bella.

She glided into the main room of the cottage and kicked off her shoes. "Do you mind if I take a shower before we go to bed? I feel like my hair smells from the bar."

"Of course." I turned the stereo to something slow and romantic and lit the fire place.

She stood still for a moment and then looked at me as if daring me to watch her. She didn't have to worry. I was mesmerized by her. She slowly lifted her sweater over her chest and then her head. I stood still as a statue. She gave me a slow smile. She knew she had me. She shimmied her pants down her hips and then stepped out of them giving them a little kick. She stood like a beautiful Venus in one of the bra and panty sets that Alice had purchased her for Paris. She turned around and she unhooked the bra and let it fall into her hands but all I could see was her now bare back. My eyes followed the line of her spine to the tops of her butt cheeks that looked incredible in the cheekster panties. She looked over her shoulder and seemed to dare me to make a move. I lunged for her and she ran giggling for the bathroom. I stalked her like she was prey and growled in victory when I caught her.

She just laughed at me. "Want to join me in the shower?"

I ripped the cheeksters from her hips and threw her over my shoulder and only let her down when I placed her in the shower. She turned on the water and waited for me to discard my clothing. I walked up behind her and pulled her to my naked body.

"You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." She turned around in my arms and kissed her way down my jaw and throat.

"I love you." She whispered between kisses. "I love you so much."

Hours later I held her in my arms. The light of the moon shined into the window. I moved the sheet away and looked at her body bathed in the moonlight. I could see every valley, every peak and every curve.

Now I paid more attention to her skin and I could see scars that I hadn't noticed before. Quill's words ran through my head over and over through the rest of the night.


	37. Chapter 37 - Brunch & Theories

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** Idon't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** I apologize for misspelling Quil's name in the story. I have fixed it in Ch 36 and 37 but I'm going to wait to go back and fix earlier chapters as they would require new uploads.

Thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire. Thanks to all the new followers and favorites. Thank you so much to those readers that consistently review. If you haven't left a review before, please tell me what you think. Feel free to PM me if you have any thoughts or comments. I love hearing from you guys.

 **Chapter 37 – Brunch & Theories**

Leah had spoken to Jasper about laying the information out for the wolves today. Esme invited Seth and the rest of the boys for brunch. I could hear them as Bella and I walked in from the back yard. At first things were tense but, boys being boys, Emmett's game center broke the ice.

I had caught the family up on the wolves while Bella slept. I didn't tell them about Bella and the baby. I wanted to talk to her first. I wished I could have spoken to Carlisle but Bella deserved her privacy. I knew I crossed the line when I pushed the wolves for the information.

"I feel like I'm in an episode of MTV Cribs." Seth said in awe as he looked at Emmett's gaming set up.

Leah slapped him in the back of the head which earned him a sympathetic look from Emmett. Leah hissed, "Can you act like we let you out of the house every once in a while."

Seth shrugged and just looked at the game gadgets with lust. Before Emmett could invite him to sit and play, Esme bustled in with a plate piled high with French toast and pancakes.

"Boys, I laid out plates for you. Feel free to dig in."

They didn't need to be told twice. "Oh my god, this is delicious."

"Dude, stop talking with your mouth full."

Leah slapped Seth's hand with her fork, "Leave some bacon for Bella you mongrel."

Bella laughed and swiped a couple of pieces. I could tell she was used to fending for herself amongst these voracious eaters.

The rest of the family joined them at the table. Quil and Embry asked Jasper about what he found out on the murders and his theories on the vampire. We told the family about our visit to Lauren's apartment and her clueless roommate.

"I definitely caught the faint smell of a vampire. It didn't match Callum's scent but as we've said before he may have an ability to mask or change his scent."

Rosalie jumped in. "I don't see how Callum could be Lauren's new boyfriend. How could he spend that much time away from Kate?"

"Well, if the boyfriend isn't Callum it is definitely a vampire."

"Could he have hid what he was from Lauren?"

"The Denali women have had relationships with human men and they were able to hide what they were. You also can't discount Lauren's ability to concentrate on herself. With enough flattery and ass kissing, I could see her being oblivious."

"I don't know. I'm concerned that Lauren may not have actually gone to Forks. The note sounds a bit too convenient. "

Embry shook his head and said, "Oh, she was in Forks. Paul saw her in town two days ago. He mentioned it before we left. He was worried that she would stalk him again. Rachel would have his ass for it. She doesn't like any reminders of his man-whoring past."

"That boy is so whipped."

The women at the table glared at Seth. "Sorry."

"Well, that is a relief. Maybe he just stayed around her long enough to get the information he was looking for and then left." Esme said hopefully.

"I should call her," Bella said. "I'll try her at her parent's house since I don't have her cell phone number. Maybe she can shed some light on some of the questions we have."

Embry then asked, "Why don't you provide the information of the connected murders anonymously to the police? They could get word out to the public so girls that look like Bella could take extra precautions."

I answered Embry. "You're assuming going to the police will save more lives. However, it may cost more than what this one rogue vampire will take. Right now they have only connected two murders. If we connect the others for them this could turn into a national and an international news story. You know how much the news agencies love to ride the ratings of a serial killing spree."

Rosalie explained the issue with the attention and the Volturi.

"Imagine the Volturi guard showing up in Portland to track down the rogue vampire. They all feed on humans. Their presence would just raise the body count. Then there is the concern that they might learn about Bella." Rosalie explained the impact if they found out about Bella.

That made the wolves go quiet.

Carlisle turned to Quil and Embry. "We're sorry that we made Victoria your problem when we left Forks. If we had known she and Laurent would go after Bella we would have stayed. We thought she would be safer with us gone. We can't tell you how grateful we are for you keeping Bella safe and destroying Victoria."

Bella looked pensive and then said slowly, "Maybe, Callum is exactly what he seems." Everyone looked at her since it sounded like such a random comment based on the current conversation topic. Her voice got stronger. "Maybe it's another vampire all together."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, before Victoria was destroyed there was some evidence that she wasn't the only vampire that crossed the reservation."

"That's true," Leah said. "Brady caught another vampire scent on the reservation and then near Bella's house. Jake thought one of you might have come back to Forks."

My fist clenched at the sound of Jake's name. Jasper gave me a look but I just shook my head.

Bella continued, "The night Victoria tried to attack the child I told you about and I got in her way, she went into full James Bond villain mode. She couldn't resist telling me how she was able to maneuver around the wolves, capture me and planned to kill me as revenge for Edward killing James."

I hated the way she was so casual about the attack. She had mastered down playing just how close she came to dying. I wanted to shake her.

"During her recap of her 'dastardly plan', Victoria let it slip that she had found a companion that was familiar with Forks. She said his name. I think it was …Riley. If you are right, and these murders are connected to me, maybe this Riley is responsible."

"Why?" Emmett asked.

"Well the most typical motives for a vampire would be food, territory, power and revenge," Jasper provided.

Carlisle looked thoughtful and then said, "Out of those, the most logical seems revenge."

"Revenge for what?"

"What if it is the same reason that Victoria came after Bella? It could be for revenge for the loss of his mate." Carlisle speculated.

"But _James_ was her mate," Rosalie protested.

"Maybe he didn't know that. Think of it," Alice said. "Besides her gift of eluding capture, we know she liked to manipulate others. She convinced Laurent to put his life at risk by coming back to Forks to scout for her and to try to kidnap Bella. Couldn't she have recruited another vampire?"

Bella nodded her head. "She called him a newborn. She seemed annoyed with him because he lost control and fed off hikers in the area. When the hikers were reported missing it caused a big search and rescue mission. She sounded angry because it brought out the local authorities and even some media attention. Could she have taken a page out of the southern vampire conflicts that Alice told me about and found someone familiar with the area? Someone she could change and then use?"

"If Riley was a newborn trained by Victoria, he may not have known how to identify a true mate," Alice said. "Victoria could have convinced him that they were mates so he would risk his life with his forays onto the reservation while she remained safe."

"That makes sense."

"Well, regardless of the why we need to figure out the what. Specifically, what do we do to keep Bella safe?"

"Jasper, can you see if you can find out about someone named Riley that could have been connected to Forks or Port Angeles?" Carlisle asked.

"I'm on it."

That signaled the end of the discussion. Bella excused herself 'for a human moment' and Emmett challenged the guys to a video game that hadn't been released to the public.

"How did you guys get this? I heard it wasn't due out for another three months," Brady said in awe.

"We own the company," Emmett said as he threw game consoles to the stunned wolves.

Carlisle silently asked me to join him in his office and Esme went into the kitchen to make the wolves some snacks.

XXXXX

I left Carlisle's study thirty minutes later and went out to look for Bella. I could hear Bella talking to Quil on the back patio.

"How's Claire doing?"

"She had nightmares for a while at first but she's been good the last six months. She misses you. She talks about you and asks when you are going to visit."

"That's so sweet."

"Why don't you skype her? I know she would love to talk to you. She misses reading with you and doing those art projects you did together."

"I thought her mom was going to kill me when she got glue in her hair when we made those crayon picture frames."

Quil chuckled. "She gave me that frame with her picture in it for my birthday. Bella, if what they say about the Volturi is true, you are in danger if they find out that you know the Cullen's secret."

"I know, but I'm hoping it won't matter in the long run."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, if they change me it won't be an issue."

Quil stood silent for a moment.

"Bella, do you understand what you are saying?"

"I know exactly what I'm saying."

"Do you understand what you are giving up?"

"I know exactly what I am gaining."

He was silent for a moment and then sighed, "I wish things had turned out differently. I wish I never asked Jake to take me to my aunt's that day."

"I'm not. It was fate. If it hadn't happened that day, it would have happened another day. Jake was meant to imprint on Vanessa. Maybe this is what had to happen to bring us to this point. I'm happy. Edward makes me happy."

"I don't think Jake can say the same."

"That's not my business."

"She hasn't fit in so well. I know she's my cousin but she's put a real strain on the pack. She's not used to small town living. Life on a small reservation, hours from any major city, has been a huge adjustment. Sam stopped having Jake do patrols a few months back."

"I don't know what you want me to say."

Before I could call out to her, Seth ran out to the patio.

"Bella! Charlie just called. Mom's in labor."

Bella came inside and said, "Isn't it too early?"

Carlisle tried to soothe her. "Not at all. She is only a couple of weeks early. This sometimes happens. Especially, when a woman has had more than one child."

Bella and Leah looked relieved. Bella, Leah and Seth worked out the logistics of driving back to Forks.

"I'll come with you," I offered.

The rest of the family agreed. Emmett said, "We could all come back. We could open up the Forks house."

Bella looked uncomfortable. "I would love to have you come but I haven't told Charlie about us yet. I don't think it would be fair to have you show up at the hospital or for Charlie to hear that you and your family are back in Forks until I sit down with him and tell him we are back together. Can you give me a couple of days?"

Carlisle nodded his head in understanding. "Of course, Bella." He turned to Seth and Quil. "I assume you would also need that time to talk to the rest of the pack and tell them our plan to visit Forks. Of course, we will respect the boundaries as per our treaty."

Carlisle and Jasper continued their conversation with the wolves and I followed Bella out to the cottage. She threw clothing into the suitcase that she had used for Paris. She grabbed her toiletries from the bathroom and I already felt how empty the cottage would be without her. I felt time running out and after her conversation with Quil I couldn't stop myself from blurting the question out.

"Bella, why didn't you tell me about the baby?"

She froze and looked over her shoulder at me.

"How did you..?"

"Quil."

She was silent for a long moment and then said, "Oh."

"In all the times that we talked over the last few weeks, why didn't you ever tell me about the baby? Why didn't you tell me just how close you came to dying?"

She turned around and looked sad. "At first, I didn't think it was any of your business. Then, I wasn't sure where we were going. It wasn't something I would bring up in casual conversation. It was one of the most painful moments of my life."

"I understand why you wouldn't say anything when we first started talking again but what about later? What about when we were in Paris?"

"By that time, I didn't want to ruin what we had with something that couldn't be changed. It happened. It wasn't your fault. It just was. I guess deep down, I also didn't want to remind you that you weren't the first."

"Oh Bella, I thought we put that to rest. I'm not jealous that he was your first. I'm jealous that he was able to give you something that I never could. I'm sorry he hurt you and he didn't cherish that gift."

"I think I also didn't want to talk about it because I was embarrassed. I was such a cliché. I got pregnant the first and only time I had sex. In the process I lost my best friend, the man that said he loved me and wanted a future with me. I embarrassed myself and I humiliated Charlie. I was asked to stop volunteering with a tutoring program because I might be a bad role model to the kids. And there was poor Charlie, he had to do his job as everyone in the town was talking about his daughter and 'her failed attempt to trap her ex'."

I touched her shoulder but she moved away and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"He stood by me and never let me feel like he though less of me. I think Charlie was as devastated as I was when I lost the baby. I will never forget the look on his face when the doctors told us that I wouldn't be able to have another child. He's been on egg shells with me since Sue found out she was pregnant."

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm to blame. My actions set off a chain reaction of destruction. I don't see how you can ever forgive me?'

She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Edward, I already have. I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I should have told you."

"Do you still love Jake?"

"I love the best friend that helped me when you left. He was good to me. I don't love the man that he turned into when he imprinted."

I heard Quil's words repeating in my head that Jake wasn't happy. Did that make her question whether there was still a chance with Jake?

"Did you want him to imprint on you?"

"At the time, I think I was looking for the imprinting as a sign from the universe that the relationship was meant to be. I always had doubts going into it because of my feelings for you. Jake didn't take your place, Edward. He made his own place in my heart. I guess I thought if Jake imprinted on me that it would be the cosmic sign that I was meant to be with him and I would have to let go of you once and for all."

"So you didn't let go?"

"I think you can see I didn't."

"Does this make it an easier choice to change? Because you can't have any children now? Is it a more acceptable choice that way?"

"Edward, I was willing to change when you were in Forks. It was you that wouldn't consider it. You are such an ass!"

She stormed out of the cottage with her suitcase.

"Bella!"

She whirled around and held out her hand. "Edward, stop! I don't want to talk to you right now. I don't have time to deal with your idiocy. Let me leave and I'll call you when we reach Forks. Maybe then you will have pulled your head out of your ass and you can apologize."

She stomped away without looking back.

Leah shook her head at me. "You couldn't stop yourself, could you?" She gave me a pitying look and followed Bella.

"What the hell was that?" Emmett asked.

"Edward sabotaging himself again."

This time Esme slapped me in the back of my head. Emmett ducked out of habit.

"Edward, you had better apologize to Bella. She is the best thing that has ever happened to you and I will not let you screw this up."

I couldn't believe I said that to Bella. I was an idiot. I went to go after her but Jasper grabbed my arm and stopped me. "I'd listen to Bella and wait before you talk to her. She was hurt and furious. Let her cool off and then you better grovel," Jasper advised.

"What did you say to her?" Carlisle asked.

I sat down on the couch in the house, propped by my elbows on my knees and held my head in my hands.

"Alice?" Carlisle asked.

"Don't look at me. We have been surrounded by wolves. I don't know what stupid thing came out of his mouth."

I finally looked up and sighed. "I questioned Bella's reasons for her willingness to change."

They looked confused so I explained everything I had learned yesterday and today.

"Poor, Bella."

"Edward, I can't believe you would question anything. She has suffered so much and she has been able to come through it with her compassion and ability to love intact. You should take the gift she is offering you and thank your lucky stars that she wants you in her life."

Jasper looked at me and said, "You know, I thought Bella had self-esteem issues but now I think you are the one with the problem. I don't think you believe you are worthy of love and you find a way to make that true."

I walked dejectedly back to my cottage. The silence of the empty building was deafening. I took some comfort in Bella's lingering scent. I could sense Esme thoughts close by before she came through the door and said my name.

She walked up behind me and put her arms around my waist and her cheek on my back. I took comfort from her motherly hug.

"Why didn't she tell me, Mom?"

She turned me around and sat me down.

"Edward, the loss of an unborn child is so deeply personal it is hard to explain and even harder to talk about."

I knew she knew this from personal experience. It wasn't something we talked about before.

"Losing a child is like a hole in your heart that will never be filled. There isn't a day or a moment that you stop loving that child. That can be hard for someone to understand, especially when the child was never brought to term. But Bella felt that child every day of her pregnancy. She felt that unconditional love and promise. Then, suddenly, that promise was tragically extinguished."

"Bella would have dealt with well-meaning family and friends after it happened. She would have had to suffer through their platitudes and well-meant words which can just make you angry or feel worse. I can understand why she would be reluctant to talk about it. People want you to get over it. They are uncomfortable with your grief because they don't know how to fix it. The truth is that they can't."

"It's not a moment of loss. It is a continuous loss that weaves through your life. It is a dull ache that you learn to live with that roars back into your consciousness as you are reminded of all the first that your child will never experience. The grief doesn't end because the love you feel for that child doesn't end."

"All you can do is be there for her if she wants to open up to you. Listen to her if she wants to talk about it. She is going to have to face those feelings of loss again as she tries to be happy for her father and Sue as they hold their newborn in their arms. All those lost possibilities are going to be burning through her and, Bella being Bella, will hide her grief and put on a happy front for her family so she doesn't spoil this special moment for them."

She touched my shoulder and said, "Be there for her, Edward. But don't make this about you. Your brother is right. You look for reasons to be found unworthy of love. We don't understand why because you are a good man, a bit misguided at times, but you have a good heart. Learn from Bella. She could have let her grief close her off from all the wonderful possibilities of life. Instead, she opened herself up to you and took a chance on love. Don't reward her with your self-doubts. Be a man worthy of her."

Alice called out from the main house. I hugged Esme and thanked her. We walked back to the main house to see what had Alice so excited.

The TV was on and a reporter was standing in front of an apartment that was crisscrossed with crime scene tape. The cameras caught the police walking in and out of the front door carrying evidence bags behind the young woman providing the report.

"I'm Jillian Herman in front of the Park View apartments where a gruesome discovery was made. The dead body of a Portland State University undergraduate student was found by a maintenance man this morning."

"Jillian, has the body been identified?"

"The police won't release the name of the victim until the family has been notified, Rachelle. Neighbors have told us that the apartment was occupied by two Portland State University students. The police are trying to locate the second roommate."

"Are there any suspects?"

"The police won't comment on an active investigation but a source close to the investigation told Chanel Six New that this murder may be connected to the other two women that were killed on or near the Portland State campus."

"Is it the fact that all were University students?"

"That and the state the bodies were found in. ."

"So the police suspect this is the work of a serial killer?"

"The police won't confirm that at this time. Authorities are asking the public to call the tip number on the screen or on our website if they have any information. They are also reminding the public to secure their homes and to be alert to any unfamiliar people that may seem out of place."

"Has the school commented?"

"The school reiterated their concern over their students. They wish to remind the students to use the buddy escort service to travel around the campus. They have doubled the escorts available to students on campus in the evenings."

"Well, this could be a problem," Jasper said.

"You think they will catch this?" Rosalie speculated.

"No, not yet. The Volturi have the same search parameters that we use. The bodies drained of blood is going to trigger an alert. We need to shut this down before the Volturi show up on our doorstep."

"Well at least Bella is safely away from the threat here in Portland."


	38. Chapter 38 - A New Arrival

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire. Thanks to all the new followers and favorites. Thank you so much to those readers that consistently review. If you haven't left a review before, please tell me what you think. Feel free to PM me if you have any thoughts or comments. I love hearing from you guys.

 **Chapter 38 – A New Arrival**

"I'm worried about Mom. I hate that she is considered a high-risk pregnancy."

"I know. Me too. But I feel a bit better after what Carlisle said. Do you want me to call Charlie again?"

"Yes."

I hit Charlie's number on my speed dial but he didn't pick up. I sent him a text and a few minutes later my phone vibrated.

 _._

"Ok, Dad said your Mom is doing fine but the baby hasn't arrived yet."

Leah sighed.

"I'm just going to text Seth the update." Seth drove back with the other guys. I finished the text and looked back at Leah. "Charlie still can't figure out how to put a space between words on his texts."

Leah still looked tense so I asked, "Do you want me to put on some music?"

"No. Talk to me."

"Do you have any preference?"

"In what?"

"If the baby is a girl or a boy?"

"Well, I've done the boy route but I don't really care. I just want Mom to be ok and the baby to be healthy. What about you?"

"I'm kind of hoping it's a boy. I feel like Charlie missed out on having a child in the house with the divorce and I think he would really enjoy having a little boy to throw a ball around with or to take fishing. I know he has really loved having Seth around."

"Yeah, Charlie's been great. He doesn't intrude but he has this way of letting you know he's there if you need him."

I smiled at the echo of my thoughts when I first moved in with him.

"So, hot and fangy put his foot in it again?" Leah asked as she overtook another car on the highway. She took it as a personal offense if a car was in front of her. She felt she needed a clear line of sight on the highway.

This time it was my turn to sigh. "Yes."

"Are you upset?" She asked as she looked at me.

"Keep your eye on the road, speed racer! Now I know why Seth didn't want to ride with you." She looked back to the front and I breathed easier. "I'm more angry than hurt."

Her lips quirked in a smirk. "Yeah, I think I got that when you told him to pull his head out of his ass."

"Did I really say that?"

"Yup." This time there was a full smile. "You should have seen his face."

"Well, he pissed me off. He took two separate things and made them about each other."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No. Not yet."

"Well, I'm here if you want to talk."

"Thanks. I appreciate it. What about you? Are you ready to see Sam?"

"I'm not looking forward to it."

"Seth could go on his own."

"No, they need to hear what's been going on directly from me and they need to see what the Cullens have been like to me and to you."

Four hours later we pulled into Forks Community Hospital. Charlie stopped responding to texts two hours earlier so everyone was tense. We were able to speak to the duty nurse and she told us that Sue was in the late stages of labor and everything was fine. The guys parked beside us and Seth waived off Quil and the rest of the guys.

"They said to give them a call and tell them how everything went." Seth said as he stowed his bag in the back of Leah's car. We jogged to the hospital entrance and spoke to the front desk. They gave us her room number and we walked down the hallway towards Sue's hospital room. My steps slowed a few doors away and Leah looked back at me questioningly.

"Are you ok?"

"I just need a minute."

She nodded and knocked softly on Sue's door and then she and Seth went into the room. I took a deep breath. It all hit me as we walked down the hall. I had kept it together in the car because I could see how nervous Leah had been. Now, the smell of the hospital and the familiar hallway triggered the memory of the last time I was here. Tears pricked my eyes and for a moment I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. The sense of loss and despair was overwhelming. Leah had dragged me to yoga in Florida and I tried to use some of the breathing techniques to slow my breathing. _You can do this Bella. Just breathe_.

I took a final cleansing breath and wiped the tears from cheeks with the back of my hands. Crap. I saw the black smears of mascara from my makeup. I grabbed a tissue from my purse and wiped under my eyes to erase the evidence of my tears. I didn't want Charlie to see me upset. This was their special moment and I didn't want to ruin it for them.

I pasted a smile to my face and turned the knob to the door. Leah raised an eyebrow at me. We had been friends long enough to have our own silent communication. I nodded at her to indicate everything was fine. She didn't look like she bought it but she wasn't going to make a fuss in front of the parents.

Charlie was sitting on the side of Sue's hospital bed looking down adoringly at the baby in his wife's arms. I felt my stomach clench and looked away from the baby to Sue. She looked exhausted but elated as she too stared lovingly at her new baby. The moment was so intimate I think we were all reluctant to intrude on it.

Leah cleared her throat.

They both looked up and smiled. "Hey! You guys missed the excitement. This little guy decided he wanted to make an early appearance. Come meet your new baby brother."

Leah and Seth crept closer to the bed but I hung back. I started to question internally again whether I could do this. Luckily, no one noticed my reluctance. Seth and Leah shuffled closer to the bed and tried to get a good look. I tried to focus on anything in the room but the baby.

"Mom, he's so beautiful."

I could hear the pride in Sue's voice as she said, "Yes, he is. Do you want to hold him?"

Leah nodded eagerly and I looked away as Charlie gently took the bundle from Sue's arms and handed him to Leah. Charlie helped Sue sit up so he could rearrange her pillows into a more comfortable position as Leah swayed back and forth with the sleeping child.

"I don't remember Seth being this cute."

Seth discreetly flipped off his big sister.

Leah held the bundle for a few minutes and to my surprise Seth said, "My turn. My turn. Stop hogging the baby. " I didn't expect him to be so enthusiastic.

Leah muttered, "I'm going to remind you of that when it is dirty diaper time."

Seth just shrugged and gently rocked the little guy back and forth and said, "Well, I'm certainly glad to meet you. Leah can't call me the baby anymore."

"Nope. Now I get to point out your new middle child syndrome."

Seth silently mouthed something obscene to her and then turned his attention back to the baby. "Now that you are here, we poor guys won't be so severely outnumbered. Will we little man? They're a bossy bunch but I bet you'll have them wrapped around your tiny finger in no time."

"Well, don't keep us in suspense. Does he have a name?" Leah asked.

"Meet William Geoffrey Swan, seven pounds, eight ounces." Charlie said proudly. Then he looked at me. "Do you want to hold him, Bells?"

I stared at him like a deer in the headlights. I wanted to shake my head no and run out of the room so I could give into the tears. I wanted to rail at the unfairness of everything I lost but I couldn't do that. I had to put a good face on it. I could break down later when I was alone.

"Sure." I hoped I sounded enthusiastic enough. I didn't want to spoil the moment for Charlie and Sue. Seth turned to me and passed William over with the care and awkwardness of handing over a bomb. I took him in my arms, careful to support his head. He started to wake up. He gave me a sleepy and unfocused look. And with one little yawn he stole a piece of my heart. No that wasn't right. He made a place for himself in my dented heart.

He had a swath of dark brown almost black hair that peeked out from his blue knit hat that matched the little mittens that protected him from scratching his face. He was adorable. He opened his eyes sleepily. He looked like a little old man, drunk from a milk bender. He yawned again and closed his eyes. I cooed down at him but he kept his eyes firmly closed with only his rosebud mouth making little suckling motions.

I thought this was going to be so much worse. While I ached for what would never be, I felt an overwhelming sense of love and happiness for my new brother, my father and Sue. I had a baby brother!

I looked up at Charlie. "He's a handsome devil."

"Takes after his old man."

The real question would be whether he would take after his half-brother and sister.

"You have quite the heritage, little man." I whispered to the sleeping infant.

A couple of hours later visiting hours were over and we were politely but firmly kicked out of Sue's room.

"Charlie, you should go with them."

"Why?"

"You were up virtually all night and today. That chair is not going to be comfortable to sleep in. Go home and get some rest. I'll be fine here on my own."

"I don't want to leave you."

"I know and I love you for it, but you'll be more help to me fully rested."

Charlie reluctantly agreed. He kissed Sue's forehead and did the same to the baby.

"Come on, kids. The boss is sending us home."

We said our goodbyes and made our way out to the hallway. Charlie and Seth set out for the parking lot but Leah held me back for a moment.

"Are you ok?"

I gave her a genuine smile. "I am. I really am."

"I'm glad." And that was all that needed to be said. Everything wasn't perfect but at least I knew that I could look past my own grief and appreciate this moment with my family. William was truly a gift.

We caught up with Seth and Charlie in the dark parking lot. The place was spooky at night. The visitor lot was practically deserted and it wasn't well lit.

"I need to stop by the station and pick up something before I go back to the house." Charlie said with a yawn.

"You look exhausted, Dad. Why don't you let me drive you?" I offered.

"That would be great."

"I'll meet you guys back at the house," I called out to Leah and Seth. They waived in agreement and Charlie walked over to a Toyota Camry.

"We took Sue's car when she went into labor." Charlie volunteered. He threw me the keys and I got behind the wheel. It was a short drive to the station house. Let's face it, Forks wasn't that big. It was a short drive everywhere. The police station wasn't an impressive building. It was part of the city hall building. The Hospital wouldn't have been so impressive if it hadn't been for the generosity of the Cullens. They had contributed money to the building fund that had added the surgery and maternity wing to the building and donated much of the equipment that they were lucky enough to have. Thinking of the Cullens made me miss Edward. He had screwed up when I left Portland but the drive to Forks gave me time to get over my anger and I realized that he had his own insecurities.

We walked into the building and passed a deputy and an emergency operator on duty. Charlie called out a greeting to both and walked down the hallway to his office. I trailed behind him. Charlie checked his emails so I walked back into the hallway and started to look around the office. The 'Most Wanted' bulletin board caught my attention. I scanned the black and white pictures and descriptions on the various papers pinned to the board. Most of the people on the board were from out of state or wanted for crimes in Seattle or Tacoma. Somebody had posted a wanted poster of a cartoon Yosemite Sam towards the bottom of the board. Who says cops don't have a sense of humor? Then I noticed there were some 'missing' posters on another bulletin board to the right. I absently scanned the board and froze when a picture caught my attention.

Charlie came out of his office and looked over my shoulder to see what I was looking at.

"Recognize somebody? I hope it is someone that has a reward because William is going to need a college fund."

"Do you know anything about this one?" I pointed to a missing poster.

"Sure, that is Riley Biers. He graduated from Forks about four years before you came to live with me. He went missing in Seattle when he was in college. He went out drinking with his friends near the waterfront and was never seen again. The Seattle police think he fell into the water and was too drunk to save himself. They never found a body so it remains an open missing person's case. It's really sad. His parents contact me every three months to check if there are any new leads on his case."

"Have there been any?"

"No. Do you recognize him? Did you see him in Portland?"

"No, he just looks like someone I met. It made me do a double take. But it isn't the same person."

"That's too bad. I would really like to give his parents closure, one way or another."

Charlie headed toward the exit and I took a picture of the poster with my cell phone. My heart was racing. I wanted to get back to the house so I could check it out. I couldn't wait to call Edward and tell him what I had found.

We drove back to the house and we ended up all sitting around the kitchen table. I was impatient to get upstairs but Charlie wanted to talk. I guess it helped him decompress from the stress of the day. Charlie gave us a more detail account of events around the baby's arrival. When Charlie yawned for the fifth time I suggested, "Dad, you must be exhausted. Why don't you go to bed?"

"Yeah, I think I will. You kids must be tired from the drive as well. Crazy day. Guess I should take advantage of the sleep while I can. That's all going to change when we get William home."

"When will that be?" Leah asked.

"Doctors said that they wanted Sue and the baby to stay for at least another two days and then they would decide whether to discharge her. See you kids in the morning."

We said goodnight and I bolted upstairs to my old room. I booted up my laptop, logged onto the missing person website and found the link for Riley. I realized that Jasper would have had a hard time finding it because his full name was Ryland Biers, no mention of a nickname. I emailed the link to Edward and Jasper and then called Edward.

Before I could say anything, Edward said in a rush, "Bella, I'm so sorry for what I said before you left. Please forgive me."

"It's ok, Edward. I'm not mad anymore. We can talk about that later. Right now, I need you to check your email."

"What is it?"

"Just check your email and tell me when you have clicked on the link I sent you."

"Sure, give me a second." He switched to speaker and I was shocked by his next words.

"Fuck me. Is that Callum?"

I laughed. The expression was so unlike my Edwardian era Edward.

"No, it's a picture of a Riley Beirs."

"Victoria's Riley?"

"I think so." I told him how I found the picture at the Forks station, the difference in the first name and passed on the information that I learned from Charlie.

"He looks a lot like Callum."

"He does. But even taking into account things that might have changed when he went through his transformation you can see some differences around the eyes, especially the eye color. You can also see differences around the jaw line."

"I can understand why Lauren might have thought she recognized him if she knew this Riley."

"Your family never met Riley?"

"No. We moved back to Forks two years before you did. Based on what Charlie told you, Riley would have graduated from Forks before we got there."

"Well, at least we have a face to go with the name."

"I'll have Jasper dig around and see what he can find now that we have his full name. Bella, I have some bad news. There was another murder. It was on the news after you left. They didn't release much information but we think it might be related to the other murders. We're going to check out the crime scene tonight. See if we see anything that the cops may have missed or even pick up a scent."

"Be careful, Edward."

"We will. Maybe it is better that you are in Forks, away from all of this. Were you able to reach Lauren?"

"I called her house on the drive but I got voicemail. I'll try again tomorrow."

"Well, call me after you speak to her. If you can't arrange something we can go together when we get into town. Again, I'm really sorry for what I said."

"I know, but we can't keep repeating this cycle. I've told you how I feel and what I want. You need to work out some of your issues."

"I know. I'm sorry. Esme tore in to me after you left."

I loved Esme.

"Thanks for texting me when you got to Forks. I'm so glad you arrived safely and everything went well with Sue and the baby."

"He's adorable, Edward. You should see him. They named him William Geoffrey Swan after Charlie's Dad. I just sent a picture to your phone."

"How are you holding up with everything?"

"I won't lie. It was hard at first, but I'm happy for my Dad and Sue."

"If you need anything, I'm there for you. You can talk to me about anything and I'll be there to listen and to support you."

"Thanks, Edward. I'll probably take you up on that. Look, Seth and Leah are talking to Sam tomorrow morning. I'm going try to get a few minutes with my father as well. I'll call you after I have spoken to him."

I yawned. The day had caught up to me. I could barely keep my eyes open.

"I can't wait to see you."

"Me too."

"Stay safe."

"Edward, I live with two wolves. I couldn't be safer."

"I would feel better if I was there."

"I wish you were here. You could climb through my window like you used to do."

"Good times." I giggled. "Bella, talk to Charlie soon."

"I will, I promise. Love you."

"Love you more."

"Not possible," I whispered and then fell asleep.

XXXXXX

Charlie had already left the house when I woke up. He had visited Sue and the baby as soon as visiting hours started in the morning and came back to the house to pick up a few items for Sue.

Seth and Leah had left earlier to meet with Sam and the pack to discuss the murders in Portland and the Cullen's plans to visit Forks. I made Charlie some lunch and I tried to work up the courage to tell him that I had reconnected with Edward at school and that we're together again.

"Dad, I need to tell you something." I said as I dried the last lunch plate we used. I don't know why I washed the plates. Charlie had finally put in a dishwasher but it felt more like home to wash everything by hand. Habit I guess. Charlie and Sue had renovated the house after they were married to accommodate their expanded family. The renovation included a new kitchen, master bedroom suite and two additional bedrooms. Seth had graciously given up his room to Leah since the extra room had been converted into the baby's room. I offered to let her bunk in with me but Seth said he was fine on the couch. The best part of the renovation was the additional bathroom on the bottom floor off the new kitchen. The new bathroom had avoided a family war that morning.

The phone rang before he could reply. Based on the one-sided conversation, it sound like it was work.

"Damn," Charlie cursed as he hung up the phone. I was surprised. Charlie rarely swore. Something must have really irritated him.

"What's wrong?"

"Deputy Bob is sick so I have to send Peterson out on patrol. That leaves us short at the office so I need to go in for a couple of hours. I hate to leave Sue alone, plus she asked me to bring some things to the hospital for her."

"Dad, why don't I drop off the items to Sue and I can keep her company while you are at the station."

"Are you sure? We didn't get a chance to talk last night. Are you ok with everything?"

"It was tough at first but I got over it the moment I held William. I know I'll have my moments but I'm really happy for you and Sue."

"Thanks, Bells."

"So, let me take care of this for you. It will give me a chance to cuddle William without having to fight Leah for possession. I swear that girl is a baby hogger."

Charlie smiled. "That would be great, Bells. I really appreciate it."

"We're a family, Dad. You don't have to thank me for wanting to spend time with my family."

He came over and kissed my forehead. "I love you, Bells."

"I love you too, Dad."

He ran upstairs to change and I finished straitening up the kitchen. Charlie came back downstairs with a bag. "Ok, this is what Sue asked me to bring her. She wanted some clothes for herself and something to put on the baby when we take him home."

Charlie took out a onesie from the bag that was covered in little ducks. "The last time I held one of these it had pink polka dots and you were in it. I had never seen so much pink in my life."

I smiled. "Well, you'll finally get a chance to see some blue. Just think. You won't have to play princess dress up or go to any tea parties with this one."

"I'm sorry I missed those things with you, Bella. I'm grateful you chose to come here to live. You know no matter how big you are, you will always be my little girl. William, Seth and Leah won't change that."

I gave him a hug. "I know that. The minute I held William I understood that love isn't finite. It has the ability to grow and accommodate. Now, why don't you take off and I'll get over to the hospital. Sue should be finished with lunch by now and she would probably enjoy some company. Just set aside a few minutes tonight for me. I need to talk to you about something."

"Is it important? Should I call the station and tell them I'll be late?"

"It can wait until tonight."

"Alright, I'll see you later then."

Charlie grabbed his gun from the gun safe and left. I stood in the kitchen, somewhat grateful for the reprieve. I knew I had to tell Charlie about Edward but I hated to ruin his great mood.

I changed and then drove Sue's car to the hospital. The hallways were bustling as I walked to her room. Nurses walked with purpose, doctors issued orders at the nurse's station and an orderly mopped the floors leaving behind that antiseptic smell universal to all hospitals. I was glad that for once I wasn't smelling it because I was in the hospital for care.

I knocked softly at Sue's door and heard her call out, "Come in."

I peeked through the door, "Hi. Dad had to go to the station so I volunteered to drop these off and keep you company." I held the bag up.

"Bella, thanks for doing that. I would love for you to keep me company."

"Well, to be honest, I'm thrilled. I get a chance to hold William without Leah constantly saying it's her turn."

Sue laughed. "Who knew? When I brought Seth home she took one look at him, lifted her nose in disgust and asked if we could get a puppy instead."

"Sounds like Leah. When we walked into the maternity ward she asked a doctor where they accepted returns and pointed to Seth."

A nurse pushing a cart that held a portable crib into the room that contained little William. Forks had adopted the "baby friendly" initiative which meant that while they had a small central nursery, parents could keep their newborn with them in the room to encourage breastfeeding and bonding.

"Look who is back from his blood test looking for his Mommy," the nurse said in a sing song voice to no one in particular.

"Hi, Janice. How are you?"

"Good. Good. William's oxygen levels were perfect but I'll let Dr. Green speak to you about all his test results when he makes his rounds."

Sue tried to sit up but I could see her wince so I came over and helped her and then adjusted her pillows as I had seen Charlie do the day before.

The nurse took the now fussing baby out of the portable crib and handed him to Sue. "I think this little man is hungry, Sue." Once the baby was settled, the nurse looked at Sue's chart. "I see you are breast feeding him." She looked up at Sue. "Do you need me to help you get him in to position to breast feed?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks."

"Well, if you don't need me for anything, I'll just leave you alone to feed the baby. Press the call button if you want me to come back to put him back into his crib."

The nurse left and Sue pointed to a pillow on a nearby stand. "Bella, could you hand me that nursing pillow over there?"

I grabbed the light green pillow and helped Sue get it into place and then get the baby into position. Sue started to take down the side of her hospital gown and I said, "Would you like me to leave so you have some privacy?"

Sue gave me a wry smile, "After giving birth for the third time and having breast fed twice before, I have no sense of shyness. If it doesn't make you uncomfortable, please stay."

I nodded and watched as Sue brought William to her breast. She grimaced slightly as he latched on like a pro. He made small little grunts as he ate which made us giggle.

I wave of melancholy hit me. I would never have this moment with my own child. I brushed the thought away. I didn't want to cry or be sad in front of Sue. I would deal with these feelings later when I was alone. Right now, it was all about Sue and William.

William nursed until his legs started to bend so Sue lifted him off her breast and tapped him firmly on his back until she got a baby belch. That made us laugh again. She put him to her other breast and he fed a bit longer. She burped him again and asked me if I wanted to hold him.

"Absolutely." I took the baby from her and she told me how to wrap him back into a baby burrito and then I snuggled him against my chest. He was milk drunk but nuzzled against my breast out of instinct. I smiled down at him and made some soothing noises as he closed his eyes and slipped into his milk coma. The room had a glider chair so I sat down in it and got the baby comfortable.

Sue looked a little tired. "You look beat. Why don't you see if you can sleep and I'll watch this little guy?" Sue nodded and closed her eyes.

I gently rocked the baby and watched him sleep. He made sporadic little sucking motions with his mouth, went still and then repeated the cycle. I sat quietly with him in my arms and savored the time with my little brother. I knew if I stayed with Edward and I changed, I might not be able to have much time with William.

These were the things that Edward warned me about. The things I would have to give up. It was hard to think of not having Charlie in my life. Now I might not be able to have William either. I just met him but I already felt the family ties. I held him a bit closer, kissed his forehead and savored his baby fresh smell. "I know I just met you but I love you, little man."

About two hours later Sue woke up. After watching the baby, I had a better appreciation for Edward's ability to watch me sleep and not get bored.

"You look good with him in your arms."

"He's precious."

She was silent for a moment and then softly said, "Bella, I'm sorry for what happened."

I didn't look up from William. I didn't want her to see tears welled up in my eyes. I shrugged. "Thanks."

"I'm sorry if this makes it harder for you."

"No, Sue. I'm so happy for you and Charlie. I love my new little brother. Don't let what happened to me mar this wonderful time for you."

"Thank you, Bella. Charlie and I have been worried about you. That makes it better for us." She wiped a tear from her eye and then said ruefully, "You know, I never thought I would be a mother again at my age."

"I have to admit that I expected to hear my Mom was pregnant with Phil before I ever expecting to hear those words from my Dad."

"Charlie said she was shocked when he told her we were expecting."

Renee and Phil hadn't had any children but Sue was proof that there was still time. She was about the same age as Renee.

"Well, I think it is great. We are now a real his, hers and ours family. I'm thrilled for Dad because he missed a lot because of the divorce. I think he'll really appreciate this opportunity. Now he has a son he can take fishing. He's going to love that."

"He already bought him a child's fishing pole and a shirt that says 'I'd rather be fishing with my Daddy'."

"Of course."

I loved the feel of his solid weight cuddled in my arms. "I was never around babies," I mused. "I didn't babysit as a teenager. I never had strong feelings one way or the other about children. I felt like I raised my Mom. Then I started tutoring and I liked working with the kids. While I won't say I thought of babies at that point, the thought of children didn't seem so bad."

"I'm sorry, Bella."

I nodded and then looked back down at the baby.

"Do you worry that he will phase like Leah and Seth?"

"No, I have two children that went through the change. If it is meant to be, it is meant to be."

"Will you tell Charlie that it is a possibility?"

"I want to. I'm tired of the secrets. I would like to know that I can share my concerns and worries with him about Seth and Leah and what could be in William's future."

I nodded. I understood the burden of secrets. They created wedges.

"The question is are you going to tell him about Edward?"

"You know?"

"Of course. I know because of the counsel."

"Well, I planned to talk to him today. I wanted to tell him that Edward and I met again at school and we couldn't fight the feelings that were still there. I wanted to tell him that we are together again, but Sue, I can't tell him what Edward is because that would put him in danger."

I explained about the Volturi and the consequences of not keeping the secret.

"Seth and Leah are at the reservation talking to Sam. The Cullens wanted to accompany Leah and I back to Forks. Would you be ok with that?"

"Leah has told me how kind they have been to you and her in Portland. I always liked Dr. Cullen. He is an incredible physician and he and his family have always been very generous with their time and their money. They kept to the treaty. I don't have a problem with them coming back for a visit. Charlie, however, is going to be a harder sell."

"I know."

"Does he make you happy?"

"Yes, he really does."

"Then I think Charlie will come around."

"Thanks, Sue."

"A big part of the reason I fell in love with your dad…"

"Besides his rugged good looks and his man-stache?"

"Yes, besides his mustache," she grimaced. "I fell in love with what a great dad he became to you when you came to live with him. He has such a great heart. He helped me after I lost Harry. He was such a good friend and, well, then he was more."

"You make my Dad happy, so I'm glad you found each other."

"We were worried how you kids would take it after all the changes that you were all going through. Hell, even Charlie was caught off guard. I thought Charlie was going to pass out when I told him I was pregnant. He kept saying over and over again in a daze, 'But what…How?'"

I had to laugh. "That explains his awkward facts of life talk with me when I came to live with him. Maybe he didn't fully understand the process himself."

I felt a bit of pressure on the hand that cupped William's bottom and he got red. He started to squirm and an odor wafted up overpowering his sweet baby smell.

"Oh, I think someone has a dirty diaper."

Sue made a movement to get up and I waived her off. "Let me. It will be my first official dirty diaper as a big sister."

"Ok, but have you ever changed a dirty diaper before?"

"No, but how hard could it be?" I took William to the changing table and I unwrapped William from his blanket. I took off his onesie and made sure all the required supplies were on the table before I tackled the diaper.

William looked up at me and I grinned at his cute intent expression as I undid the tapes on each side of the diaper. "Oh, I should warn you, Bella, place another diaper …"

I pulled the front flap of the diaper down and I learned a valuable lesson as water squirted up to my face.

"… over his penis so you don't get peed on," Sue finished weakly.

I looked at her with water dripping off of my face and Sue cracked up. "I'm soooo sorry."

I grabbed a towelette and wiped my face. "We will never speak of this and you can never tell Leah or Seth about this. I won't live it down."

Sue made the zip it hand gesture. "It will be our secret."

I pulled the rest of the diaper away and got a good look at the present William left for me.

"Oh, my gaaaawwwd! How is it possible that he can produce this when he is breast feeding? I didn't think that color yellow even existed! And why, in the name of everything that is holy, are there seeds?"

Sue laughed again. "You think that is bad, you should have seen the first diaper. It was like he pushed out tar."

"Well, I think I'll let Leah or Seth have the pleasure of the next number two diaper when they come visit tonight. And you cannot warn them about the fire hose. I can't be the only one that walks into that one."

"In the interest of fairness, I won't say anything."

"You're the best, Sue."

I changed the diaper, redressed the baby, swaddled him and then handed him to Sue. We spoke about some trivial things and just enjoyed each other's company.

Charlie showed up around 5:00 pm. He looked dapper in his uniform. I excused myself and told him that I would head back to the house to cook dinner. I was looking forward to using his new kitchen. I left them so they could have some private time and walked down the hallway.

I checked my messages on my phone and bumped into a solid wall.

"Excuse me," I said and then looked up to see Jake's face.

"Bella, I didn't know you were in town."

"Leah and I came in last night. Are you here with Billy to see Sue and the new baby?"

He winced. He looked rough. His clothes were wrinkled and his eyes were red. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"No, I'm here with Vanessa. She, um, she lost the baby and they need to keep her overnight."

I was stunned. I didn't know what to say. I gave him the trite, "I'm sorry for your loss."

He nodded but didn't make eye contact. There was anger in his voice when he said, "Well, I'm sure you think this is just desserts."

I stared at him. Who was this man? We were once so close and now we were like strangers. "Jake, no matter how badly things ended I would never wish this on you."

He nodded but still looked defensive.

"You know I couldn't help the imprinting, Bella."

I didn't need this. Not with everything else.

"I never held the imprinting against you, Jake. Deep down I knew that could happen. I took a chance and I lost."

"I didn't mean for it to happen this way."

"I know, Jake. I just hope you do a better job at being there for Vanessa then you were for me."

"It just all spun out of control, suddenly."

That made me angry.

"I know you were overwhelmed but couldn't you have thought about how your silence affected me? When you imprinted, did it push everyone else out of your heart? Wasn't there any small part left for me? Some part that might have held on to the memory of the feelings you said you had for me so you could have treated me with some sensitivity."

I couldn't stop the words coming out of my mouth. I had been holding them in for so long.

"I gave you everything. I opened up my heart and my body to you. Then you abandoned me in the cruelest way possible and at the worse time. After what should have been one of the most special nights of my life, you avoided me for over a month with no explanation."

He looked embarrassed but the floodgates were open and I couldn't stop.

"Your father and friends covered for you waiting for you to man-up. Do you know what it was like to be on the receiving end of their pity? I was demoralized. Your tribe and this town treated me like a pariah. Your only concern was how it affected you and your imprint. You let Sam bully me into staying even though I was still in danger from Victoria and it might have been safer at my Mom's in Florida. You insisted I stay when you knew how much it hurt me to see you and Vanessa together."

He just stood there silent, so I continued. "Jake, tell me. When Vanessa lost the baby, did you tell _her_ 'Maybe it's better this way.'?"

He winced at the memory of his words.

"Or did you offer comfort to the mother of your child; mourn with her? Did you let Vanessa know that you were devastated at the loss of your child? Instead of making her feel like you were relieved that the loss solved a problem?"

He looked down and I thought I could see shame in his facial expression.

"You know, Edward always thought of himself as a monster. He couldn't understand why I never saw him as one. Even you thought you were a monster when you started phasing. What you both have never understood is it isn't the state of the being that makes a monster. It is the actions of the being whether they be vampire, wolf or human that can be monstrous."

"I'm sorry, Bella. You don't know what it's been like since you left. I wish I had done things differently. I wish things had turned out differently."

"Me, too. Again, I'm sorry for your loss. No one should have to lose a child." With that I knew I was done. I pushed past Jake and walked out of the hospital. I was sad but I felt lighter.


	39. Chapter 39 - Back at the Ranch

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer: I** don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Sorry for delay. Had a plot problem that delayed me and then my Beta gave me a great idea which finally got me over the hump. So thanks to my Beta, AliceDoubtfire. Glad everyone liked that Bella got her confrontation with Jake in the last chapter.

To the guest reviewer that asked how Bella got pregnant. Yes, she used protection but that isn't always fool proof if you don't use it correctly or it tears. Remember, it was Jakes first time. So maybe there was human error.

Thanks to all the new followers and favorites. Thank you so much to those readers that consistently review. If you haven't left a review before, please tell me what you think. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions, thoughts or comments. I love hearing from you guys.

 **Chapter 39 – Back at the Ranch**

 **EPOV**

I laid on my bed and looked at the picture on my phone that Bella had sent to me of her and the baby after we had spoken. William was a handsome baby. I envied Charlie the continuity of passing on a family name. I looked at the sweet picture Bella made with the baby. She looked like a natural as she held him in her arms. Their coloring was so similar the baby could have been mistaken for her child. That thought made me ache for her. She said she was ok. I hoped she knew I was there for her if she needed me. I could understand Rosalie better as well. Her regrets and her anger at this life. While it gave in so many ways the gifts were at a great price. These were the things I had seen that Bella would have had to give up that she couldn't have understood at seventeen.

The problem with never sleeping was it gave you too much time to think of your stupid mistakes. Moonlight peaked through the drapes casting shadows through the room. I felt terrible for what I implied when she left; that not being able to have a child somehow made this life a more attractive alternative. I knew that wasn't true and I felt like an ass for saying what I did. I had to stop finding ways to self-sabotage. Everyone was right. I needed to grow up, recognize that Bella was an adult and able to make her own decisions, and finally get my shit together. I could have lost her over my own stupidity yet again. I was thankful that she forgave me so easily when we spoke. My brother was wrong, she didn't make me grovel. But she should have. She was too generous and I knew I was lucky to have her. When we finally spoke she didn't, as Emmett had said, kick my ass to the curb.

I had passed on the links and information that Bella had provided. The family agreed that Callum looked remarkably like Riley. Carlisle thought it was possible that the change could account for some of the differences but not for all. Esme had tried to call Kate to find out where they were but they hadn't returned any calls. This wasn't unusual since they could be in some remote areas hunting and wouldn't get a cell signal.

I had just left Jasper and Emmett in the main house. We had returned from the reported murder scene and I wanted a few minutes to myself. We scouted around the last victim's apartment and caught the scent of a vampire but it was different from the one that I had smelled at Lauren's apartment. It also smelled nothing like Callum. So other than finding out a vampire was definitely responsible, we confirmed that the victim resembled Bella. We could see from the pictures scattered through her apartment that she had similar coloring but the resemblance wasn't as strong as some of the others. Jasper had hacked into the police files when we got back but there hadn't been much to find. It was too early in the investigation and not enough information had been entered into the system.

I was restless. I wished I was in Forks with Bella. She hadn't spoken to Charlie yet but I couldn't blame her. I understood that she wanted to give Charlie a chance to enjoy the moment without bringing up painful topics. I swiped my phone and viewed some older photos of Bella I had taken in Paris. We had a really nice talk. I hated that we were so far apart. I knew Leah and Seth would protect her but I would have felt better if I was there to watch over her. I loved when she mentioned sneaking into her room like I had when we were in high school. I pictured her in her childhood bed and it brought back some great memories. Of course, now I had better memories; ones of making love to her and relishing the aftermath of closeness as she drifted off to sleep in my arms. I swiped my finger along the screen again until I found a picture I had taken when Bella was sleeping in my cottage. I thought it was sweet. She called me creepy when she found it which made me smile. I wished I had asked her to send me a picture of what she was wearing when she went to bed. If I couldn't be there, the next best thing was to picture her in her childhood bed in some lingerie. Her lingerie had definitely improved since we were in high school. _Hmmm. I wonder if she would be willing to_ …. _No!_ I doubted she would agree to do that at Charlie's. Not with her father and two wolves living in the same house. Leah would never let her live it down, I grinned at the thought. Seth was huge now. I'm not sure it would be a good idea to poke that wolf by taking advantage of his sister under his roof. That made me smirk for a moment. Hell, I realized that it would be a lot harder to sneak in with their sensitive hearing and sense of smell. I would have to talk to Bella to figure out something. I didn't want to be without her now that I was used to her sleeping in my arms each night.

The family had started the process of packing for the trip to Forks so we would be ready when Bella and Leah gave the all clear. Esme made a list of things we needed to bring to clean and refresh the house. We kept the electricity on even when it was empty and Jenks, the family attorney in Seattle, sent a caretaker out once a month to check on the house and grounds. With the rain and foliage, the caretaker ensured that the driveway and the grounds were maintained enough that the forest didn't reclaim the driveway and house. That had happened to us the first time we left the house in Hoquiam in the '40's. We returned a few years later and found the forest had taken over the house and grounds. It was so bad, we tore it down and decided to build the new house a little farther north in Forks. Funny how that event in the 40's led to our move to Forks and eventually meeting Bella. There by the grace of fate.

Alice had organized the clothes and Emmett took care of any electronics we might need. It was amazing how quickly electronics went out of date. Alice and Emmett made sure we were connected to the internet with the latest technology because they monitored and maintained the bulk of the family's investments. Carlisle made arrangements with the hospital to take a few weeks off. The hospital was happy to give it to him since he often filled in for other doctors on night shifts and holidays. I contacted Bella and Leah's professors as soon as they left and arranged for someone to take notes in their classes so they wouldn't fall behind.

I left my room and joined the rest of the family and packed up the list of cleaning supplies that Esme had given me. Esme preferred the organic cleaners because they were better for the environment and they didn't have the strong scents of some other cleaners that the caretaker might have used. I finished boxing the last of the bottles when Alice called out to everyone. I walked over to the family room and found the rest of the family already there. I got a quick glimpse of what Alice was going to say.

"Eleazar and Carmen will be here before sunrise."

"Shit." Emmett said and I had to agree with him.

"Emmett!"

"Sorry, Esme. Are they coming alone?"

"I don't see anyone else with them," Alice answered.

"Well, at least you don't see the Guard. Do you think the Volturi sent them?" Emmett asked.

"Do you think that bitch, Tanya, went to the Volturi and told them about Bella?" Rosalie asked.

"Rose!" Esme scolded again.

"Sorry."

"I don't see anything bad happening but I didn't pick up any specifics on the purpose of their visit. All I sense, now, are friends stopping by."

I could tell by everyone's thoughts that we were all apprehensive about what they would have to say when they arrived. Nothing could be done until then, so we finished packing the cars and waited for Eleazer and Carmen.

An hour later I heard Carlisle greeting them at the door and welcoming them in. I had always liked Eleazer because he was so similar to Carlisle in his personality and manor. Maybe, that had something to do with the fact that they were both turned around the same time, somewhere in the 17th century. They both are gentle and compassionate individuals. Carlisle's came out in his need to help the sick. Eleazer's was in his duty to the law. He and Carlisle became close when Carlisle stayed with the Volturi. Eleazer had been intrigued by Carlisle's refusal to feed from humans but hadn't tried it while still with the Volturi. As part of the Volturi inner circle it would have been frowned upon for Eleazer to make such a drastic change, almost a judgment. Carlisle and Eleazar kept in touch when Carlisle left for America and Eleazar would visit when he was sent out with the Volturi Guard.

"We're happy to see you. We thought you were still with the Volturi."

"We were but we left because the Volturi were concerned about some unusual activity around here and we thought it might be better if we came back and checked it out to try to avoid a visit from the Guard."

I looked at Jasper and shook my head.

"What activity?"

"There have been a significant number of disappearances and murders."

"In Portland?"

Eleazer shook his head in surprise at Emmett's question, "No, in Seattle."

There was a general sense of relief that Portland wasn't their focus.

"We decided to stop here on our way to Seattle because we wanted to talk to Jasper."

Esme asked, "Why Jasper?"

"Well, based on the pattern the Volturi are concerned that some enterprising vampire may be trying to raise a newborn army in Seattle."

"A newborn army?"

"Yes," Eleazer said. "We immediately thought of you Jasper."

"Me? You thought I would be raising a newborn army?"

Eleazer laughed. "Of course not. We wanted to ask if you would be willing to come with us to Seattle and help us investigate. You are familiar with Seattle and you are very familiar with newborns. You might be able to figure out where the vampire is finding them, training them and keeping them. If we can find whoever is doing this first we might be able to avoid the Guard on our doorstep."

"I'm surprised that the Volturi didn't send the guard."

"They agreed to let us check Seattle since we are more familiar with the area but they did send a small contingent to California."

"Why California?"

"The first vampires that the Volturi suspected were the southern vampires."

"I didn't think the southern vampires were on the Volturi radar."

"Oh, there is at least one that has been on their radar for years."

Eleazer looked expectantly at Jasper.

"Maria?"

"Maria," Eleazer confirmed.

I could catch Alice cursing in her head. She hated Maria. She hated that she callously used Jasper and his gifts for her perverted gain. She knew the mental and emotional toll his time with Maria had taken on him. Each execution, each battle was exponentially more painful for him because of his gift. Every once in a while he would go off by himself to try to work through the flashbacks. I knew if she had the chance to destroy Maria, she would. Jasper had held her back from going after Maria and ending her. He didn't want revenge. He just wanted the love and happiness he found with his mate

"Wouldn't they go to Texas if they were looking for Maria?"

"She left Texas in the 70's and worked her way up to California."

"I can see California but the Pacific Northwest seems out of her comfort zone."

"True, she has kept primarily to the American south west for the last hundred years but she moved around a lot before then so it isn't out of the realm of possibility to the Volturi. They knew her when she was in Spain decades after she was turned in Mexico. She traveled around Europe for years with her maker before returning to her native Mexico."

Jasper looked startled. "You know who her maker was?"

"Not his name. We know that he was one of the followers of the Romanians. In fact, they think he was the one that introduced her to the concept of newborn armies."

"What?"

"Jasper, you didn't think that Maria was the first vampire to create a new born army, did you?"

"Actually, I did."

"No, I'm afraid that tactic goes back much farther than Maria," Carmen said.

Eleazer then explained, "The Romanians were actually the first to be credited in developing this strategy. The Volturi had challenged the Romanian's rule and they fought for decades. The Volturi over threw the Romanians but the Romanians did not give up. It was a lawless time for our people. Covens were divided and took sides. Loyalties were tested. The Romanians rallied as many covens as they could to join their cause. The Romanians suffered several defeats when Vlad came up with the idea of using the superior strength of newborns in large numbers to defeat the Volturi and to regain their thrones. It didn't work because Aro had surrounded himself with gifted vampires. By that last battle, Aro had acquired Alec and Jane. Their gifts combined with the other gifted Volturi vampires were greater than the sheer brute strength of the newborns. In fact, Stephan lost his wife in that last battle. He and Vlad and what was left of their supporters went into exile. After that Aro started to monitor the size of covens and any hints of newborn armies."

"But Maria was created well after that."

"Maria was changed by one of the Romanian's supporters when they were in exile and traveled through Mexico."

Jasper picked up the story from there. "Nettie once told me that she thought Maria had been in love with the vampire that changed her."

"She didn't know his name?"

"No, Maria never told Nettie or Lucy who he was. Nettie said she and Lucy pieced together Maria's story from little snippets that Maria provided over the time they were together. They learned that Maria was the daughter of a servant at a large cattle ranch in Mexico. She acted as a ladies maid to the daughter of the owner but dreamed of something better for herself. The owner's son had her convinced they were in love and that when the time was right he was going to tell his parents about them and then they could marry. Sadly, she found out that was all a lie when his fiancée from Spain arrived. When she confronted her lover, he laughed at her. He ridiculed her for actually believing that he would ever lower himself to marry a servant. She struck him and his father banished her from the ranch with the clothes on her back and a few coins in compensation for her virginity. He told her if she tried to come back he would let the vaqueros take turns having her. She left the ranch and made her way towards the closest major city. One night, a tall blond stranger stumbled across her make shift camp. She said he was so beautiful in the firelight that she thought he was an angel. He asked her what such a beautiful woman was doing traveling alone and what had made her cry. His voice and eyes were hypnotizing and she found herself telling him her story. He told her that he had been alone, himself, for such a long time and he wanted a traveling companion. He offered her a gift in exchange for her becoming that companion. A gift that would ensure she never had to feel powerless ever again. A gift that would allow her to seek revenge against those that had wronged her."

"She accepted his offer and he changed her. He showed her how to use her new abilities. He took her to Mexico City and dressed her in fine dresses and let her experience a side of life she had only dreamed of. Then he taught her to use her whiles to lure humans in so she could feed. After a few years he had polished off her rough edges and she decided she was ready to take her revenge. She went back to the ranch and she killed her former lover but not before she made him watch her slaughter his parents, his Spanish wife and his children."

 _Monster!_ Rosalie's thoughts screamed in my head. Her own revenge story flashed in her mind but she could never condone a vampire killing an innocent child for any reason.

What she didn't know and what I saw in Jasper's mind is that Maria had taunted her former lover after she killed his children. _"You were so disgusted by the idea of your future children having my peasant blood. Well, how does it feel to know that their aristocratic blood is now inside of me?"_

Bella was right, it is the individual's actions that make them a monster.

"Once she had her revenge, he told her it was time for her to learn survival skills against others of her kind. He showed her how to fight, how to track and how to destroy another vampire. They tore their way through Mexico until one day her maker told her he had taught her everything she needed to know to survive and it was time to part. He wanted to pursue some theories he had down in Brazil. She offered to go with him but he told her it was time for her to find her own destiny. By that time she had gotten a taste for power. She learned her lesson's well but she preferred others to get their hands dirty. That is why she teamed up with Lucy and Nettie. The three of them made their way up from Mexico to Texas, where I later met them. Their partnership didn't last. Eventually, Maria turned on Nettie and Lucy."

"How did Maria get away with creating a newborn army in Texas if the Volturi knew about her?" I asked Eleazer.

"I asked the same question. It seems that the Volturi ignored her because she unknowingly served a purpose for them. She cleared out the other vampires that had created newborn armies that were considered threats by the Volturi. They just let her take care of the problem for them. They monitored her and as long as she didn't get out of control they let her think they didn't know about her. They thought about going after her but suddenly her army was gone. I suspect that happened after Jasper left her."

"Yes, I heard later from Peter that after I left she had problems keeping the existing ones under control and training new ones. He said, the newborns she had fought each other, ran away or went on murder sprees that put her in danger of attention. She knew too much attention could put her in danger so she let all but a handful of loyal followers turn on each other until the numbers were so low, she could destroy the last of the problem newborns."

"And now?" Carlisle asked.

"Now the Volturi think that if Maria is the one behind this business in Seattle, she has outlived her usefulness and has grown too bold. Creating and using a newborn army in the American South West in the 1800's is much different than creating and using one in a major city in the United States in the new millennium. The media are too quick to jump on these types of large number of disappearances or murder clusters. It is too much of a threat to our kind. If she is creating a new born army, they will put her down."

"If she is creating a new born army then it has to be because she is trying to take out another stronger coven," Carmen said. "Do you know if any covens are in that area?"

"None, as far as we know. We have crossed paths with the odd nomad but we were the largest coven that was closest to Seattle when we were in Forks," Carlisle said.

"Could she have thought we were still there?" Rose asked.

"We've made it no secret that we have relocated. Surely, she would have investigated that?" Emmett said.

"I agree. The next closest coven would be yours, Eleazer, in Denali. I couldn't see her being that bold. Everyone knows that you have close ties to the Volturi. She couldn't be that stupid, could she? She has to know that they wouldn't be pleased if she made a move against you and your coven."

"Well, my relationship with the Volturi isn't as strong as it once was. They weren't happy when Carmen and I left them to pursue this lifestyle. I try to make myself available to them when Aro asks but like any other royal court, favorites can quickly go in and out of favor."

"Did you sense a change in their attitude when you were there?"

"No, Aro was his usual effusive self. I tested a few of his new vampires for gifts and we had a nice visit. We were planning to leave to go home when the messenger came to Aro, Caius and Marcus about Seattle. As I said, it only confirmed some of the research they had already flagged for the area. They discussed the matter with Carmen and I and we volunteered to leave early and investigate the unusual activity for them since we had to pass that way on our way home. They also decided to send a contingent to Southern California, Maria's last known location. That included their best tracker, Demetri."

"What makes him such a great tracker?" Emmet asked.

"It's an unusual gift. I remember how excited Aro got when I told him what I sensed was his ability. You see, he can catch the tenor of someone's mind and track them down. If Maria moved to Seattle, he will find her. And you can expect the Guard on our doorstep."

No one was happy with that thought.

"Carlisle, we want you to know that we didn't specifically mention the connection between Jasper and Maria to the Volturi. If Aro picked it up from my mind, he never said anything. We thought with Jasper's help we had the best chance of shutting this down without getting the Volturi involved."

"Of course, Eleazar. I would be happy to offer my assistance."

"Jasper," Alice started to protest. I could read her mind and saw just how much she hated the thought of Jasper having any contact with Maria.

"No, Alice. This is something I need to do." I could sense the guilt Jasper felt. He knew that she had deserved to be destroyed when he left her. At the time, he couldn't find it in him to do it. Maybe it was misplaced loyalty for making him or maybe he was just tired of all the death. When he left her, he just wanted his freedom and the chance to see if Peter was right. He wanted to see if there was a different way of life than the one he learned from Maria. If Maria was behind another newborn army, he wanted to put an end to it and an end to her.

Alice could see the decision he made and she knew she couldn't change his mind. "Well, if you are going to Seattle I am going with you."

"No, you should go with the family to Forks," Jasper said. "They will need you."

"You know _things_ interfere with my visions in Forks. I'll be of more use to you in Seattle."

"You were returning to Forks?" Eleazar asked in surprise.

"We were planning a short visit before you arrived."

"If it is too much of a problem we can handle this ourselves," Eleazer said.

"No, it makes more sense if we go with you," Jasper said.

Alice quickly replied, "If something comes to me that the family needs to know, I can contact Carlisle or Edward."

"Alice is right," Carlisle agreed. "She would be of more help to you in Seattle than in Forks. We have just had some problems ourselves. In fact, we were worried that the Volturi sent you to Portland. We've had some murders here that we worried might have caught the Volturi's attention. We thought Kate might have told you."

"Kate? No, we haven't been able to make direct contact with Kate in a while. We left her some messages as we departed Italy but she hasn't responded to any of them yet. We assumed she was hunting in a remote location. What has been happening in Portland and what has it to do with Kate?"

We told him about my meeting Bella again, what had happened to Bella during our time apart, Victoria and the murders that had been on the news and the murders that Jasper had found that had not been reported on. We told them that we believed the murders were connected and the work of a vampire that was specifically targeting women that looked like Bella.

"So, what does Kate have to do with these murders?" Carmen asked.

"Carmen, when was the last time you spoke to Kate?"

"She has been in and out of communication range since we went to Italy. She left messages that she had met someone and wanted us to meet him but we haven't really spoken since we left Alaska. You know Kate and Tanya. They meet someone all the time. We didn't see any urgency."

"Well, she came through Portland and said she wanted us to meet Callum as well. She wanted us to get a read on him. She had developed deep feelings for him but after Irena she didn't trust her instincts."

"And? What did you think of him?"

"He seemed nice. He told us what he knew of his past and how he was changed. He said he had heard about our covens and lifestyle and wanted to learn more about them. He ran into Kate in Alaska while she was hunting. Maybe, that is why she had some reservations about him. The meeting seemed a bit too convenient. But, Edward and Jasper didn't pick up anything suspicious from his thoughts or feelings. He seemed to genuinely care for her and he always treated her well when he was around us."

"But?"

"But the murders started not long before they showed up." I jumped in. "We had some suspicions because of Callum and Kate's proximity to the murders and Callum was the only vampire in the vicinity that we knew had fed on humans. He had just adopted the lifestyle and Kate mentioned that he had a few slip ups. So his eyes hadn't changed to golden brown."

I explained more about Bella's last confrontation with Victoria and that Victoria had bragged about a vampire named Riley that she had made that was familiar with Forks and helped her. We showed them Riley's picture as a human from the Missing website that we found.

"So you think this Riley is Callum and he is stalking Bella to revenge Victoria?"

"It's a possibility. They look very similar. The differences could be a result of the change but we aren't sure. We haven't been able to speak to Kate since she and Callum left Portland and the last two murders occurred."

"Poor Kate. If he has used her to get closer to you and to get to Bella, she will be devastated. She doesn't trust men very easily. I know she and Irena desperately want to find their mates. They see your family and Carmen and I and they want that for themselves. They have been around a long time and as Edward knows, this life can feel empty and pointless without having someone to live it with by your side."

I nodded. I was alone a little less than a century and the loneliness made me fell disconnected and numb to the individuals around me. I don't think I could have lasted a millennium feeling the way that I did.

"We were hoping you had met him after they left us so you could tell us if Callum had any gifts."

"What do you mean? I thought you said he didn't have any?"

"Kate said he told her he didn't have any. We couldn't sense any. But with everything that has gone on, we could rule him out if you confirmed he had no gifts."

"What gift do you think he might have?"

"Well, we thought he might be able to cover or change his scent. His story, the events and then the picture make it seem like he could be this Riley. But we went to the last crime scene and the scents don't match."

"Well, l'm sure once Kate contacts us we can get that resolved."

Just before dawn, Alice and Jasper were saying goodbye to Esme and Carlisle when Eleazer took me aside.

"Edward, we're happy for you. I'm sorry Tanya made things difficult for you and your Bella."

"Eleazer, do you think Tanya would go to the Volturi?"

"If she didn't go to them while we were there I don't think she will take the risk. She knows that trying to use Aro for personal gain can too easily backfire. She contacted us in Italy a month ago and said she was going to meet up with some friends of ours in South Africa. We left a message for her just before we left Italy about Seattle so we will see if she meets us there. We'll leave another message for Kate so that she knows that she should now meet us in Seattle. If she calls you first, please tell her where we are and to call us."

"Of course."

Carmen and Eleazer drove off in their Yukon and Jasper and Alice followed in Jasper's Land Rover.

Carlisle waived as they drove down the drive way and then turned to me and said, "I need to do my morning rounds and then I'll be ready to leave for Forks. I should be back around noon."

I nodded to Carlisle and walked back to my cottage. I stopped when I heard my cell phone ping. It was Bella.

 _Morning!_

 _Hi. Did you sleep well?_

 _Not too bad but I missed you._

 _Me too. I missed your snoring._

 _I don't snore!_

 _Ok, I missed your snuffling._

She sent a rude emoji in response.

 _Did you get a chance to talk to Charlie this morning?_

 _No, he went to the hospital to check on Sue and the baby before I got up. He left a note. Will try when he gets back. Tried Lauren's house. Got voicemail. Will try again later._

 _What is your plan?_

 _Going to clean so Sue comes home to clean house while Seth and Leah go talk to Sam. Supposed to meet up and go to hospital._

 _Text me when you hear something. Love you!_

 _Me too!_

Esme dropped off some architectural plans to one of her clients. Emmett and I checked the police files online as we waited for Carlisle and Esme to return. There was nothing new and we were at loose ends. We gave up and decided to play a video game when my cell pinged again. It was Bella.

 _Just finished lunch with Dad. Started to talk but got interrupted by call from station. He's not happy. He has to go in for a few hours. Will try again when he gets back. Told him I would keep Sue company and help with William._

 _You ok?_

 _Yes. Will talk more when I see you. But excited that Leah won't be there to hog baby._

That made me feel better.

 _Ok. Go be a good big sister._

 _Will do._

Thirty minutes later she sent a series of selfies with the baby and a short text.

 _Told Sue to take a nap. Baby sleeping too. So friggin adorable. Totally get why you watch me sleep now. Will stop calling you creepy._

 _Welcome to the darkside._

 _Ha. Ha. Turning ringer and alerts off so won't disturb Sue and baby. Don't get paranoid if you don't get me for a few hours. Will call or text when Charlie relieves me of babysitting duty. Love ya._

 _Love you more._

 _Not possible._

xxxxxx

BPOV

I exited the hospital's automatic doors and walked out into the rain. I was shaking from the confrontation that I just had with Jacob and I needed to calm down.

" _Jake, tell me. When Vanessa lost the baby, did you tell her 'Maybe it's better this way.'?"_

 _He winced at the memory of his words._

" _Or did you offer comfort to the mother of your child; mourn with her? Did you let Vanessa know that you were devastated at the loss of your child? Instead of making her feel like you were relieved that the loss solved a problem?"_

 _He looked down and I thought I could see shame in his facial expression._

" _You know, Edward always thought of himself as a monster. He couldn't understand why I never saw him as one. Even you thought you were a monster when you started phasing. What you both have never understood is it isn't the state of the being that makes a monster. It is the actions of the being whether they be vampire, wolf or human that can be monstrous."_

" _I'm sorry, Bella. You don't know what it's been like since you left. I wish I had done things differently. I wish things had turned out differently."_

" _Me, too. Again, I'm sorry for your loss. No one should have to lose a child."_

Maybe I shouldn't have said what I did right then but I couldn't stop once I started. All the hurt and anger had been bottled up for so long. I didn't realize how much I need to say what I did until I couldn't hold it back any longer.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. I stepped out from the hospital portico and I felt a few drops of rain hit my forehead. It felt cool and it soothed my heated skin. The air smelled so good. It was that clean and refreshing ozonated air that you only got after a good rain.

Between the clouds and the time of day it was wet, dark and gloomy. _Ah, Forks. How I've missed you._ The sense of desolation wasn't helped by the deserted parking lots. I walked along the side walk that led from the building to the first parking lot. I tried to miss the puddles and I'm sure it looked like I was playing hop scotch as I tried to step in the dry spaces. I wore sneakers and I really didn't need to drive home with wet feet.

I tried to get my mind off of the fight with Jake and focused on planning what I would cook for the family. This led to a mental shopping list as I continued to dodge puddles. I then tried to figure out what I would say to Charlie once I got him alone after dinner. I needed to get that conversation over with so I could call Edward. I missed him so much. I got used to falling asleep in his arms and a pillow was no substitute. I took one of his shirts to sleep in because the smell comforted me.

I passed the doctor's parking lot and looked for my car in the visitor's lot near the lake. The Cullens had donated the land with the lake that sat adjacent to the hospital the year I moved to Forks from Arizona. The town had put in a walking path, exercise stations and park benches along the circuit around the lake the year I left for Florida. Now that I paid attention, I had to admire what a good job they had done.

I guessed that the persistent rain that fell on me had kept even the most avid exerciser away. There was no one on the walking path or the exercise stations. I could see only one hardy soul on the farthest bench from the visitor lot. The angle of the bench put two thirds of the person's profile in sight. It looked like a girl staring out at the lake. The bench wasn't too far from where I had parked my car so I started to make out features as I got closer to the car.

It was a young girl. She looked familiar. I picked up my pace and called out, "Lauren?"

She didn't respond so I jogged over to her. "Lauren, what are you doing out in the rain?"

She didn't even turn her head in acknowledgement. I got impatient. "Listen, I was looking for you. I need to talk to you."

I stopped when I realized she was abnormally still.

"Lauren….?" I said slowly. I had a bad feeling. I reached out to touch her shoulder and hoped I was wrong. She was cold to the touch.

"I'm afraid Lauren is indisposed," a voice taunted from behind me.

I whirled around. I expected to see a blond man but to my surprise a stunningly handsome dark haired man stood across from me.

"Hello, Bella." The voice was lightly accented and sounded so familiar from my time living with Renee in Arizona. He was obviously Hispanic. He was tall, around six foot, but wiry more than muscular. He had curly black hair and really full lips. He would have been beautiful if it weren't for the red eyes.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" I stalled as my heart beat faster. I looked near the hospital exit and then the visitor lot hoping to see one of the pack but I was alone.

"Not exactly. I've been watching you for so long I feel like I know you," he purred. He moved closer to me and inhaled deeply. "Mm. You smell even better in person. Your scent lingers in your apartment but it isn't the same. Sort of like fresh flowers versus a flower room diffuser."

"Riley?"

He laughed. "No, I'm not Riley. So, you know his name. I'm surprised, but that will certainly make things easier to explain. My name is Diego. I'll be taking you to Riley."

"Why? I don't understand any of this." My keys were in my hand with the car key between two fingers and the house key between two others as Charlie had drilled in to me for safety purposes. I gripped the keys tighter but I knew they wouldn't make a dent in his marble like skin.

"Well, I think Riley would really prefer to explain all of this to you himself. So, I won't steal his thunder. Suffice it to say that I owe Riley a large debt and agreed to … watch over you. He finally thought it was time for the two of you to meet in person so he asked me to make that happen. I have to thank you for losing your protection detail. It makes this oh so much easier."

He pointed to a car and held out his hand, "Shall we?"

I knew better than to get into a car with a threat. Another survival lesson that Charlie had drilled into me. I looked around the parking lot and back to the hospital. We were alone. I looked around for a way to escape but he just laughed.

"Come on Bella. We both know that you know exactly what I am. And by the look of Lauren, you know what I am capable of doing. There is no way that you can escape. So why don't we do this the easy way. You won't like the hard way." His pleasant tone and friendly look were more menacing than if he said the words in anger.

I finally nodded and followed him to the car.

Diego opened the door of the black SUV and I was shocked to see a young girl at the wheel. She was young. She almost looked too young to drive. She was tiny and had dark hair.

"Come on. We should get out of here." She said in a high pitched voice as she turned on the car.

"Bree, meet Bella. Bella meet Bree, my mate."

Bree looked at me in the rear view mirror and I could see the worry in her blood red eyes. Maybe she wasn't as in to this kidnapping as Diego was.

A/N – Romanian/Maria connection was the suggestion of my great Beta. Hoped you liked it.


	40. Chapter 40 - Missing

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer: I** don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Sorry for delay. I was just in my work peak period but now things have slowed a bit. Thank you to my consistent reviewers. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you go out of your way to leave a review after most chapters. I pounce on them like a little kid at Christmas and they are what make me open up the story and work on it right afterwards.

Welcome to the new followers. Thank you to those that favorited the story. If you haven't left a review, please tell me what you think. Feedback is very motivating. Plus I incorporate it into the story. You keep me on my toes and make me look for plot flaws.

So feel free to leave your thoughts in a review or PM me.

 **Chapter 40 - Missing**

LPOV

Charlie looked around the kitchen. "Bella's not here?"

"No, She texted me she was going to be at the hospital keeping Mom and the baby company until you got off your shift."

"She was. I relieved Bella from babysitting duty about an hour ago. She said she was heading home to start dinner. I came back to grab a bite and change before heading back to your Mom. She wants me to sneak whatever Bella cooked into the hospital. She's hating the hospital food."

"Who knew you were such a rule breaker Charlie."

"You know what they say; happy wife, happy life."

"Well, Mom's car isn't here and Bella wasn't in the house when Seth dropped me off about thirty minutes ago. Maybe, she had to stop by the grocery store. The refrigerator was pretty bare this morning."

"Maybe. Could you call her cell phone and see if she is on her way home?"

"Sure." I dialed Bella's cell number. "It went straight to voicemail. I'll send her a text to call us."

Charlie waited about twenty minutes. "Look, when you hear from Bella tell her not to worry about dinner." Charlie took out forty dollars from his wallet. "Why don't you kids get some pizzas and come down to the hospital when you're ready. I don't want to leave your Mom on her own with the baby too long."

"Thanks, Charlie. We will."

Seth walked through door not long after Charlie had left. "Hey, any food?"

"I swear you are a bottomless pit."

"I'm a growing boy. I need constant care and feeding so I grow up big and strong."

I looked at his six foot five inch frame. If he grew anymore he wouldn't fit in the house even with the renovation. "Charlie left some money to order some pizzas before we go to the hospital."

"Pizza? I was hoping Bella was going to cook."

"She hasn't gotten home yet."

"She's still at the hospital?"

"No, Charlie said that she left after he got to the hospital from the station. She planned to come back here and cook but she wasn't here when I got home. I tried calling her but all I got was her voicemail. Maybe she got caught up at the grocery store. You know how the gossips are when they corner you in that place."

"She could have finally met with Lauren. Maybe she is holed up somewhere talking to her."

"True. She did say she was going to try her again today. I don't have Lauren's cell but I do know where she lives. I ordered a couple of pizza's before you got here. They should be here any minute. If Bella's not home by the time we finish eating, we can drive by Lauren's parent's house on the way to the hospital."

"Sounds good."

The pizza arrived and Seth dug in not even using a plate.

"You are such a pig."

"Nope. A wolf," he said around a mouth full of food.

We ate a slice and then Seth turned to me. "Are you ok?"

"What do you mean?"

"Sam."

Oh, Sam.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Sam's son gave me a slight sense of melancholy. There was enough family resemblance between Emily and I, that for a second I had the fleeting thought that this is what our child would have looked like had Sam and I stayed together.

"I'm glad. You were different around him today. Not as hostile."

"What do they say? Time heals all wounds."

"You don't have to hide behind sarcasm and jokes with me, Leah."

He had always been able to see me.

"I know. But in this case, it's true. Maybe it's the time or the distance, but I don't feel as hurt or as angry as I did when I was living in Forks. Seeing what Bella went through I think I have learned to stop focusing on what I don't have and to take happiness in what I do have. Does that make sense?"

"Yes, that makes a lot of sense. If you ever need to talk, you know I'm there for you."

"I appreciate it."

Seth must have said what he wanted to say because he just nodded and shoved another piece of pizza in his mouth.

"You are so gross."

He smiled and opened his mouth to show me his food like he did when he was a kid. Just like that he was my pesky little brother again instead of the too mature young man he had been forced to become.

Thirty minutes and a part of a second pizza later Bella wasn't home and she still wasn't answering her cell phone.

I decided to call Edward. He picked up on the first ring.

"Edward, it's Leah."

"Hello, Leah. How is your Mother and the baby?"

"Good. Seth and I are just about to go back to the hospital and see them. Bella took the day shift so I'll take the night shift. The kid is just too cute."

"Yes, he is a handsome. Bella sent some pictures of him to my phone. The girls' squeals of admirations were high enough to set dogs barking two towns away."

"What can I say? That's girl speak. I called to tell you that Seth, Quill and I met with Sam and Old Quill today. We told them of your plan to visit Forks and they agreed that they consider the treaty still in place. It might be a good idea for you and your family to meet with the pack so that the new guys recognize your family and your scents to avoid any issues when you go out hunting."

"We'll arrange something with you near the border of the reservation when we arrive."

"Sounds good. Sam wanted us to tell you that if you need assistance with this rogue vampire you can count on the pack. Bella saved an imprint. They feel they owe her and want to help you keep her safe."

"Tell them we appreciate the offer and we'll keep it in mind."

"Edward, did you talk to Bella this afternoon?"

"She texted me when she got to the hospital this morning. She said she was going to turn off her ringer and her alerts so she wouldn't disturb your Mom and your brother. She said she would call me after she had a chance to speak to Charlie."

"He was in a good mood when I just saw him so my guess is that she hasn't spoken to him about you yet."

Edward was quiet.

"Edward, don't read into that. Things have been really crazy here the last twenty-four hours. She probably just wants to pick the right moment."

"I know."

"Why don't you hit the road?

"Actually, we are on our way now."

"Good. By the time you get here, Bella will have lowered the boom on Charlie and you can be here to grovel."

"This is starting to be a trend with the Swan family."

"If you do the crime, you have to do the time."

"True. Thanks, Leah."

"Anytime." I turned to Seth. "Well, at least that explains why Bella isn't answering her phone. She must have forgotten to turn the ringer back on when she left the hospital."

Ten minutes later Seth and I were idled in front of Lauren's house but there were no cars out front and the lights were off.

"Doesn't look like anyone's home."

"Thanks, Captain Obvious."

"Hey, don't kill the messenger."

"I'm just starting to get worried. It's not like Bella to not answer her phone or text messages."

"I don't know about that. She went radio silent a few weekends ago."

"That was different. She was out of the country."

"What?"

"Don't say anything to Charlie, but Edward took her to Paris for the long weekend."

"He really knows how to impress a girl."

"It helps when you have your own private plane."

"Are you shitting me?"

"Nope. Alice's ability to see the future keeps them safe _and_ wealthy. I've watched Alice and Emmett play the stock market. I saw them clear two million in a day. They said they could have made more but they like to fly under the radar."

"That certainly explains the cars and the houses. I just thought the money came from being alive so many years."

"I'm sure that helps."

"Listen, I'm going to call Edward again to see if Bella has called him."

I turned the radio down and dialed Edward's number again.

"Edward, have you heard from Bella?"

"Not since the last time we spoke."

I heard the concern that had creeped into his voice. I hadn't meant to alarm him, so I said, "Edward, I'm sure she's fine. We think she forgot to turn her phone or her ringer back on when she left the hospital. All our calls are going directly to voice mail. She's not returning any texts either. Seth and I drove over to Lauren's parent's house but there were no cars outside the house and the lights were off. We're going to the hospital. Maybe Bella went back there."

"Ok. We're on our way. Call me if she's at the hospital."

I agreed and disconnected.

We pulled into the entranceway of the hospital and parked in the visitor lot.

"Hey, isn't that Mom's car?"

I looked to where Seth pointed and sure enough, Mom's car was two lanes over.

"Well that's a relief. Bella must have come back to the hospital when she saw there was no one home. I'm going to text Edward." I sent a quick text to Edward and then got out of the car. Bella was so going to get an ass-kicking for forgetting to turn her phone back on.

I think we both felt better now that we knew were Bella was. Seth stomped on a puddle and splashed me as we walked towards the hospital entrance.

"You're such a twerp." Then I splashed him and ran for the automatic door before he could get me back. He laughed and jogged up behind me and shoved me with his shoulder as we went through the entrance way.

"It's good to have you home."

I nudged him back with my shoulder. "Yeah, I missed you too."

Xxxx

EPOV

"Is everything alright, Edward?" Esme asked in some concern as I looked up from my cell phone.

"Yes. Leah said Bella's car is in the hospital lot. She must have forgotten to turn her phone back on when she left the hospital earlier. I'm just going to text Leah to have Bella call me."

I was in the back seat of Carlisle's Mercedes for the trip back to Forks. Rosalie and Emmett followed us in Rosalie's Escalade. I drove with Emmett and Rosalie when we moved from Dartmouth to Northwestern many years ago and there wasn't enough brain bleach in the world to get what they actually did and what they imagined doing out of my head. I couldn't look at them for a month after we arrived. I refused to ride with them on any long drives after that.

I didn't take my car. We didn't want to look like a parade of luxury vehicles when we drove through Forks. I figured if I needed a car I could just buy something and have it delivered from Seattle. I could give it to Bella or leave it at the house in Forks. I had been trying to convince Bella to let me buy her a car. I hoped that now that the baby was born she would agree. She needed something more reliable if she planned to visit more often.

"Did you work things out with Bella?"

"We spoke last night." I told them the highlights of our conversation. "She forgave me. She said the same thing you did. I need to work on my issues and I will."

"How was it for her yesterday? At the hospital?"

"She said it was tough at first. But once she saw the baby and held him in her arms she said it got easier. I told her if she wanted to talk about it, I would be there for her. I wish I could do more."

"That's the trap we men fall into," Carlisle said.

"What do you mean?"

"It took many years of marriage to learn this. I'm going to let you in on the secret. It's hard to put it into practice but if you do, you will be happier. I let Emmett in on the secret but it was like throwing pearls before swine."

"And what is this sage advice, dear husband?" Esme asked wryly.

"Edward, you are going to be like every other male through history. One day your woman will tell you something, and your first reaction will be ' _how can I fix this?_ ' But you know what? That isn't why she told you."

"It isn't?"

"No."

"Then why did she tell me about it?" I asked.

Esme giggled.

"Because she wanted you to listen."

There was silence.

Carlisle continued. "You're team-Bella, right?"

"Of course."

"Well, she just wants to vent to someone on team-Bella. She doesn't want you to tell her how she should feel. She doesn't want you to solve her problem. She just wants you to listen. So, grasshopper, the secret to a successful marriage is to be a good listener."

Esme looked impressed with Carlisle's words. "He's right."

"This is more complicated than I expected. You and Esme make it look easy."

"Well, you don't see and hear everything. We have our moments. The main thing to remember is to be there for Bella. When she is ready to talk to you, she will. She loves you. And when she does, just listen."

XXXXX

LPOV

We walked through the empty hallway and knocked on Mom's door. Mom was sitting on the glider in the room with the baby in her arms.

I sidled up to the bed. I looked down at the baby and crooned, "How's my favorite little brother?"

"Hey!" Seth protested beside me.

I elbowed him and then ignored the pout he gave me.

"Perfect. He just ate like a champ and gave a man sized belch in appreciation of his meal."

"Funny. That what my other little brother just did as well."

Seth looked a bit squeamish at the talk about William's feeding. I knew Seth didn't like to think of Mom breast feeding. He was just going to have to get over it since he still lived with them.

I looked around the room. Charlie was in the other chair staring at the sports stats flying across the screen of the muted television mounted in the corner of the room. He tore his gaze away from the television and said, "Did you guys get a pizza?"

"Yeah, we left some for you."

"Oh, Charlie. I don't want you eating that junk. You know you have to watch your cholesterol."

"I'll leave it for the kids, sweetheart. I promise."

Charlie gave Seth a beseeching look. Seth winked at Charlie and mouthed the pizza was in the fridge. Charlie gave him a discrete thumbs up.

It was weird to hear another man besides my Dad calling my Mom names like sweetheart. I didn't resent Charlie. He hadn't tried to take my Dad's place. He just let us know that he was there for us if we needed him. He was great with Seth and more importantly he made my Mother happy. She had a rough time when she lost my Father. Billy and Charlie helped her through the rough time. For a while there, I was concerned that Jake and I would end up as stepbrother and stepsister.

"Did Bells eat with you?"

"No, she didn't come home. Isn't she here with you? Mom's car is in the parking lot."

"No, she hasn't been back since she left a couple of hours ago." Charlie looked concerned. He got up and went to the window but the room was on the wrong side of the building to see the parking lot. "You said your Mom's car is in the parking lot? Sue, I'm going to go check the car."

"Wait, I'll come with you," I called out to him.

"Me, too."

Seth and I followed Charlie as he strode down the hallway. We were halfway down to the exit when we saw Jake. He looked pale and tired. Much older than his real age.

"Jake, what are you doing here?" Charlie asked.

"Dad didn't tell you?"

I knew from Mom that Charlie and Billy weren't as close since Bella and Jake broke up. They weathered through Mom picking Charlie over Billy, but Jake's actions after he met Vanessa were too much for the old friends.

"No, did something happen with your Dad? Is it his diabetes?"

"No, Dad's fine." Jake rubbed at his forehead. "I'm here because … Vanessa, um, she lost the baby."

We were all silent taking in the news.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Jake," Charlie said somewhat stiffly.

Jake nodded jerkily.

"Bella said the same thing."

Charlie jerked to attention. "You saw, Bella?"

"Yes, we ran into each other in the hallway a couple of hours ago."

"Did you see where she was going?"

He shrugged. "It looked like she was leaving."

"And you haven't seen her since?"

"No. Is everything ok?"

"Yes. I'm sure everything is fine. Please pass on our condolences to your wife."

Jake nodded. Then he looked like he remembered something. "Oh. Congratulations to you and Sue on the baby, Charlie."

Charlie looked uncomfortable at Jake's perfunctory well wishes. We were quite the group. All saying the right things, but conflicting emotions seethed under the surface.

Jake slumped his shoulders again and continued down the hallway.

I wondered what Bella and Jake said to each other earlier today. Maybe that is why she didn't come home. She could have needed some time on her own after seeing Jake. If he hurt her again, I was going to tear a piece out of his ass.

We hurried out to the visitor parking lot and strode towards Mom's Camry. I grimaced at the car, it was such a mom car. Bella said it made her miss her old truck all the more. The lot was still damp but at least the rain had stopped. It was twilight, so the lights had just turned on in the parking lot and around the walking trail. The place looked deserted and so did Mom's Camry.

I looked into the windows of the car but there was no sign of Bella. Charlie used his extra key fob to open the doors. Nothing looked disturbed. A breeze kicked up and I thought I caught the smell of something. I looked over by the lake and inhaled deeply. Seth caught my movement and did the same thing. We looked at each other and had the same silent thought. The odor that wafted from the lake was death.

I scanned the walking path and saw someone sitting on the bench looking at the lake. Maybe Bella decided to sit by the lake after talking to Jake. I looked closer and realized the girl had blond hair not brown. I started to walk towards her. Maybe she had seen Bella. It was a small town and everybody knew everybody. After a few steps I noted that she was completely still. Too still. There was no minute movement of her shoulders. Her head never changed angles. Seth followed me as I stepped closer to the still figure. Shit! I recognized her.

"Lauren?"

She didn't respond. She just stared sightlessly out at the lake. That is when I knew the smell came from her.

"Charlie!"

"Charlie! You need to come here."

Charlie closed the trunk of the Camry and looked over. I think he could tell from our expressions that something was wrong. He briskly walked over to the bench and just stared at the young girl that looked like a macabre statue. Like us, he could see from her color and her sightless eyes that she was dead.

"Seth, go back to the hospital and call 911 from the landline. Tell them I'm here and I need a Crime Scene Response Team out here. Grab my cell phone from your Mom's room and bring it back out to me." Seth nodded and ran back to the hospital entranceway.

Charlie squatted down in front of Lauren and looked around the body. He was careful to keep a distance so he didn't contaminate the scene. He straitened up and then looked at me. He ran his hand over his mustache and his mouth in agitation.

"Do you have your cell phone?"

I nodded.

"Call Bella's number again."

I didn't question him. I looked down at my cell phone and tried her number again. "Voice mail."

Charlie looked grim.

XXXXX

Alice's POV:

We arrived in Seattle in time for the rush hour traffic. Jasper woke Jenks up on the drive over and asked him to do property searches on any bankrupt or abandoned properties near the docks. Jasper said that would be the area he would establish a base from if it were him. It was close to commerce and the night life from which they could recruit newborns and still closer to a food source that authorities would little notice.

Jenks found five likely properties near the waterfront and one he threw in outside of the city. We tried them one by one and found their lair at the end of the day in an abandoned fish packing warehouse.

"They're gone," Jasper said in frustration.

We looked around the empty warehouse. It showed evidence of squatters. It was littered with clothing, paper and other debris. Jasper sniffed the air and moved to the far corner of the open bottom floor. He found a furnace. He touched the metal door with the palm of his hand.

"It's still warm." He opened the door and sifted through the still warm ashes. His hand stilled and then he pulled something out. I grimaced. It was a piece of a human jaw. He put it back into the furnace and wiped his hands on a discarded newspaper on the floor.

I felt disgust at the complete disregard for human life. Jasper must have felt it because he looked at me in worry.

"Alice, don't hate me for taking part in something like this at one time,' he pled.

He had misinterpreted at who my disgust was directed. I reached out to him. "No, Jasper. I could never hate you. How could you think that anything would change my feelings for you?"

"How? How could I have ever followed her?"

"Jasper, it was the only life you knew."

"I knew it wasn't the way I wanted to exist."

"And you got out. This isn't you. It would have never been you if you had been changed by another vampire. She lied to you. She isolated you and used you. You got out."

"But I didn't destroy her and now she's done it again. She ruined more lives."

"And she'll pay for it. You aren't responsible for her actions. You are a good man."

I could see he wanted to believe me. It had been hard for him to change after many years feeding off of humans. He had slip ups as had Emmett. The worst one was when he almost attacked Bella. He had the added burden of Edward making us leave afterwards. He felt weak giving into his bloodlust. We all understood. Living our lifestyle is like asking a shark to change their nature. It helped when Bella came back into our lives and she told him she never held him responsible. He still apologized, which she told him was unnecessary. He tried so hard to be a good man. I wished he could see himself the way I see him.

"I know you are the one with the psychology degrees but I think you are feeling survivor's remorse. I wish you would apply the words that you use to counsel the vets you work with at the VA."

He looked startled at the mention of the involvement with the VA. Though why he would be was beyond me. He should know better after all these years.

"It's not the same."

"Isn't it? How many of those men come back and feel guilt for surviving when one of their buddies didn't. How many have you seen feel guilty for coming home when their tour is up feeling like they should be there with the men they left behind? That they didn't do enough?"

Jasper had been using his psychology training and his gift along with his experience in combat to help returning soldiers. "I know about the programs you set up and the doctors you hired. I know that you participate in the group counseling to help soldiers to reintegrate to normal life."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't been much use with these murders but I knew what you were going to do before you started to do it."

"You never said anything."

"I know it isn't easy to live with someone with my kind of gift. I thought if you wanted me to know, you would tell me."

A wave of love enveloped me. I hoped he could feel the intensity of mine for him as well as the pride I felt for him.

"You are good man. You have helped so many of these men; a few of which would have put a gun to their heads if you hadn't been there for them."

He looked embarrassed by the praise. "Jasper, you can't let your past define you. If it did, I would be the crazy girl from the mental institution seeing things that no one else could see. We can't change our pasts. We can only live today as we want to live our future. So trust me, how you live today and what you do far outweighs your past."

He kissed me and the rested his forehead against mine. "Thank you."

He straightened and took control again. He looked back at the furnace again. "She has to be stopped."

"I know. I promise, baby, we will stop her."

Eleazar came down the stairs from the upper floors. He walked over to us. "I just found more of the same garbage upstairs. Nothing of any value. Alice, are you picking up anything?"

I concentrated but nothing came to me. "No. Just flashes of images but nothing coherent. It's the same thing I get when decisions haven't been made. Or other decisions that could conflict haven't been decided."

I felt terrible. I had been useless to Bella and the family these last few months when it came to predicting danger. Jasper felt my distress and sent a soothing wave of love to me.

Carmen came back into the building from scouting the exterior. "I followed the most recent scent trails. It looks like they left in a hurry and I think they left via the water. That means we won't be able to track them from here."

Eleazar looked around at the mess. "Was she here, Jasper?"

"Yes. I recognize her scent."

"Do you think they will be back?"

Jasper shook his head. "I don't think so. She would have had posted some sentries to watch the place if they planned to return."

He scanned the first floor and pointed to an enclosed space in the back corner. "Did you check the office?"

The door was off of its hinges and windows that would have been used to watch over the factory floor were broken. More debris was strewn about. I looked down into a metal garbage can and saw some paper that had been partially burned.

I picked up one of the scraps and a vision came into my head. "Jasper!"

"What is it Alice?"

"I know where they are going." I pulled out my cell phone and hit speed dial.

"Edward. How close are you to Forks?"

"We're about an hour out. Why?"

"It's Bella. You need to get to Forks, now!"


	41. Chapter 41 - We Finally Meet

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer: I** don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephanie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thank you to my consistent reviewers. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you go out of your way to leave a review after most chapters. Thank you to my beta, Alicedoubtfire for reviewing and improving on my ideas. Thank you to the new followers and those that favorited the story.

If you haven't left a review, please tell me what you think. Feedback is very motivating.

 **Chapter 41 – We Finally Meet**

BPOV

I looked around the room that I had been in for the last few hours. Bree had pulled over when they got to the outskirts of town. They put a hood over my head so I couldn't tell where they were taking me. They hadn't taken the hood off until they had put me in this room. It was non-descript and offered little clue as to where I was. It smelled damp and musty and with my luck the stain on the back corner was probably black mold. The windows were covered so I couldn't tell if it was dark outside but it must have been based on the time they took me in the parking lot.

Just thinking about that made me want to bang my head against the wall. I was such an idiot! I had made it so easy for Diego and Riley. Edward was going to be so pissed when he found out. I knew he would blame himself for not suggesting that I always stay with one of the wolves. That was stupid. I was an adult, I should have thought of that myself. To be fair, I hadn't heard of any vampire sightings in Forks since the wolves killed Victoria. I thought the danger was in Portland so I had a false sense of safety when we arrived in Forks. I was mad at myself for not considering the possibility it could have followed us here. With my history as a danger magnet, I should have known better. Seriously! I was only alone for ten minutes and look what I let happen.

My self-recriminations were interrupted by Diego as he walked into the room.

"You should really eat something, Bella," Diego said as he looked down at the stale food on the tray he had left earlier. "I know I'm a bit out of practice cooking but even a vampire can't screw up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich."

"I'm not hungry."

"Starving yourself won't make things better."

"Oh? And what will?"

Diego shrugged.

I asked the question that had been going around in circles in my head. "What are you going to do me?"

"I told you. Right now, we're holding you until Riley can get here."

"Where is he?"

"He doesn't tell us any details of where he goes and what he does. We only learn what we need to know when we need to know it."

"Can you at least tell me where _here_ is?"

"Of course, Miss Swan. You're in our secret hide out under Mount St. Helens," he said in his best British Bond villain voice. Then he laughed at my expression. "Sorry, Bella. Couldn't resist a bit of villain humor. Unfortunately, you're not being held at something so exotic as a secret lair under a volcano. Since, I don't want you to get your hopes up of an easy escape, I will tell you that you aren't in Forks. That would be too close to your furry friends."

"Why are _you_ doing this?"

"As I mentioned, I owe Riley. He saved me once so watching over you and then bringing you to him seemed a reasonable payback."

"And killing Lauren seemed reasonable?"

"I admit that was more for dramatic effect, but it worked. I needed to make sure you understood the magnitude of your situation. I couldn't have you make a fuss when I asked you to get in the car while there was a wolf so close to where we were. I smelled that big alpha in the hospital as I scouted around and waited for you."

He must have been talking about Jake. Surely, Jake would have smelled him. "Why would you take that risk? Weren't you worried that he would catch your scent?"

"Well, that is another reason that Riley picked me to watch over you and the Cullens. I know that you are aware that certain vampires have gifts. Mine isn't exciting but it comes in handy. You see, I have the ability to repress my scent. That is how I was able to watch over you at your apartment without your boyfriend or you roommate catching me."

So Edward and everyone else wouldn't have been able to smell him. Leah's presence then could have interfered with Alice's ability to see Diego.

"But Edward picked up your scent at Lauren's apartment?"

"That wasn't my scent. That was Riley's. Lauren recognized him when she saw him around campus. Evidently, her older brother knew him when he lived in Forks. So, Riley let her pick him up at some bar and the next thing you know she thought they were a couple. She was a clingy little thing but quite the fount of information on you and your boyfriend. Then there was the added bonus that her place made a convenient base for him when he came into town to check on you."

"Why kill her? Why not just let her go?"

"She wasn't the brightest, but even she started to question certain things. I'm afraid she asked too many questions and then outlived her usefulness. I'm surprised you care. The girl had nothing nice to say about you or the Cullens."

"She didn't deserve to die."

"I'm afraid as a human she was on the bottom of our food pyramid. That is a sad fact of our existence."

"It doesn't have to be that way!"

"You mean how the Cullens live? I have to admit that what I observed doesn't exactly match up to everything Riley taught us or said about them. But a debt is a debt. Now, try to eat your sandwich."

XXXXX

I had tired of pacing the small room. There wasn't anything to sit on besides the bed and it looked like it was inhabited by bugs. Surprisingly, the floor seemed a better alternative. At least on the floor I was able to see what was crawling towards me. I sat down with my back against the wall when I heard voices. They were muffled and had a strange echo but I could hear what they were saying. I looked around and noticed a return air vent not far from where I sat. The vent must have been connected to wherever they were in the house. Bree sounded agitated and Diego sounded like he was trying to calm her down.

"Diego, I don't like this. I think we should leave the girl here and get as far away from here as possible. This isn't our fight."

"Bree, I can't do that. I owe Riley. I would have been killed by that gang if he hadn't saved me when I was trapped in that alley."

"You have more than repaid him. You have helped him train and control the other new vampires. You have spent the last few months in Portland watching the girl and scouting the Cullens for him."

"You know I was the only one that the Cullens wouldn't be able to detect. Plus I grew up in Portland, so I was familiar with the area."

"Fine. You did your part. Now it's time for us to go. We can start our own life. You don't owe Riley unconditional loyalty. He has been erratic since Victoria was killed. Look at the mess he made in Portland. He went against everything he taught us."

"I agree that he wasn't as circumspect as he should have been but he's angry over the loss of Victoria."

"I don't see why. She was a bitch. I didn't trust her after we caught Riley and her secretly meeting. Look at the lies we caught them in. They had us believing all the old vampire folklore. We got stuck in a cave because they made us believe that the sun would turn us to ash. I'm glad that bitch is dead. I don't think things would have ended well for us if Victoria had been able to implement her big secret plan. I wish we had left when we found out she had been killed."

"It wasn't the right time. I couldn't leave Riley right after he lost his mate. He needed me. I know how I would have been if I had lost you."

"Diego, I love you. The thought of losing you scares me, too. I wouldn't want to live without you. That is why I hate to see you pulled into this revenge scheme. This isn't our fight. He's got that other vampire bitch, now."

 _What other vampire? Say her name, damn it._

"I have to admit she worries me, Bree. I trust her less than Victoria. I don't like the way she just showed up six months ago. She has her own agenda."

"I don't want us to end up pawns sacrificed in their separate games. Riley has the newborns he put together. We are past the newborn stage. We aren't as strong as they are. Let them fight his fight."

There was a pause. I waited to see what he would say but Bree continued. I hoped he listened to her. She looked young but she wasn't stupid. She had Victoria pegged.

"Riley is wrong to blame the human for Victoria's death. She's ash because she was arrogant. We both know that the girl couldn't have killed Victoria. Why would her death get him the revenge he seeks? It had to be one of the wolves that killed Victoria. Fred said that he saw the wolves bring down Tom and Alexa when Riley sent them to La Push. He saw the wolves tear them apart with their jaws and then shift back to human to burn the pieces. There is no way that girl could have destroyed Victoria."

"Maybe it was her attack dogs that did it but she is responsible, Bree."

"How does that make sense? The dogs guard a specific area. Riley sent Tom and Alexa to that area. He knew what could happen to them when he sent them to La Push. We both overheard Victoria tell him about some vampire named Laurent that was killed by the wolves at La Push. Riley sent Tom and Alexa out there like chew toys so Victoria could do whatever she wanted to do out there and then get safely away. I'm worried that now _we_ will be Riley's diversion."

"Riley wouldn't do that to us, Corazon."

"Diego, I love you. But you don't see Riley clearly. He is no better than the leaders of those gangs you tried to stay out of. So willing to send their loyal followers into danger while they stay safe. I don't trust him. He's lied too many times."

Diego was quiet so Bree continued. "This girl doesn't just have the wolves, now. You said she is protected by those other vampires. The ones that feed off animals."

Diego barked out a short laugh. "Well they didn't do a good job. I didn't think it was going to be that easy to snatch her."

 _I'm so sorry, Edward. I made it too easy for them._

"You said that when you watched them that you noticed that they consider themselves a family. They don't fight each other for food or territory. They coexist like humans do. We didn't know vampires could live like that. Don't you want that? Don't you want to be done with the violence?"

"Of course I do. I didn't like fighting the new vampires that Riley brought back every day for Victoria any more than I like it now that he's done it for himself. But we owe him. "

"What do we owe him? I certainly didn't ask for this life when I was hungry and Riley offered me a hamburger. While I'm grateful that it led me to you, we don't owe him our lives now."

"I need to finish what he asked."

"The wolves and those vampires are going to come after that girl and I don't want to be here when that happens. You kept watch on the girl like he asked you to but it's time to leave and find a life for ourselves away from Riley's craziness. Look at what he's been doing. He told us to be discreet when we feed and he deliberately left a trail of bodies to taunt the Cullens. He intentionally riled the wolves by sending vampires to their lands. I have a bad feeling about this. I think we should turn the human over and get as far away from here as possible."

I heard some shuffling and then Diego's voice. It was quieter and it sound like he was trying to comfort the girl.

"Bree, trust me. I promise, everything is going to be alright."

"Am I interrupting anything?" A new voice asked. I didn't recognize it.

There were sounds of shuffling and then Diego's voice. He was clearly surprised by the newcomer. "Of course not. We have the girl. She is waiting for you upstairs."

"Glad to hear everything went according to plan," the new voice said. "You're flushed Bree. Maybe you need to go feed. Why don't you and Diego go hunt while I acquaint myself with our guest."

XXXXX

I heard footsteps in the hallway but I still jumped when the door opened and a deep voice said, "So, Bella, we finally meet."

My eyes widened at the man that stood in the doorway. At first glance, he could have been Callum's twin but the voice was different and he was slightly shorter than Callum. The hair was different too. Riley's was more blonde than brown. He would have been extremely handsome, except for the blood red eyes.

"Hello, Riley."

He didn't look pleased at the sound of his name.

"Hmm. I thought Diego and I agreed that I would have the pleasure of introducing myself."

"Sorry to disappoint you. Don't be too angry at your henchman. I already knew your name."

"Lauren?"

"No, Lauren never mentioned you by name. It was Victoria."

I could tell that shook him. "Victoria?"

"Yes, she mentioned you right before she threw me against a tree. Let's just say that it stuck with me."

He actually smiled. It would have been beautiful had malevolence not radiated off of him in waves.

 _Keep him talking, Bella. If he's talking, he's not killing you._

I jumped. What an odd time for my Edward hallucinations to start again.

I felt the severe height disadvantage as I sat on the floor and he loomed over me. I stood up and dusted off my pants. "Why are you doing this? Why did you take me?"

He looked me over from head to toe. I felt like a mouse in front of a barn cat ready to be batted around by its claws. I took a step back and he smiled in amusement at my fear.

He came closer and leaned his face into mine. "Revenge of course. An eye for an eye. Or in this case, a mate for a mate."

So, Carlisle was right.

"Mate? And whose mate would that be?"

"My Mate! Victoria!"

I laughed.

 _Stop it, Bella. Don't antagonize him._

I ignored the sage advice of my love, or more likely, my subconscious. I knew it was stupid to poke a stick at a psychopathic bear but I couldn't stop myself. I was so tired of being the victim. I wanted to feel some control over my life instead of a human pawn on a supernatural chess board.

"I hate to burst your bubble, but you weren't Victoria's mate."

"What would you know? You're a human. You could have no concept of what it feels to have a mate. I know Edward thinks you are his mate. Sadly, you will never be changed and find out what it truly feels like for two mated vampires. You will never feel what I had with Victoria."

"I may be human but I have seen mated vampires. I met Victoria's mate and his name was James."

He slammed me up against the wall and I hit the back of my head. I felt dazed for a moment. "James wasn't her mate, he was her brother!"

Another laugh escaped me.

 _Stop laughing at him Bella. He'll hurt you more._

But I couldn't listen to his voice of reason. This was a black comedy. I couldn't keep the scorn out of my voice. "She told you James was her brother?"

"Yes! And Laurent found them after they had been changed at a music festival in the 60's when the crowd was high on hallucinogenics. Whoever attacked them, abandoned them. They were lucky that Laurent found them. He showed them how to survive. He took them under his wing and somewhere along the way he and James developed feelings for each other and became mates. The three of them traveled together peacefully for decades until they made the mistake of crossing the Cullen's territory."

I knew that Victoria twisted the truth. I wondered how pleased James would be to find out that Victoria had relegated him to Laurent's mate in the fairy tale that she had spun Riley. I looked down at the scar of James' teeth marks on my arm. James had taunted me with his past with Alice at the ballet studio. He also spoke of how he met Victoria. I knew he was the one to change her. He had stalked her for many weeks. Even as a human she had an uncanny way of escaping him. He couldn't resist the chase until finely he caught her and turned her. He was so proud of how she took to this life. He loved that she could evade everyone while he could track anyone. A match made in hell. Laurent met up with the pair many years later.

"Victoria lied to you," I said quietly.

"No, you're the one that is lying. I know how the three of them stumbled across the Cullens in a clearing. She told me that Edward took offense at something James said and the Cullens threatened them. They didn't know that a coven had claimed that area. The Cullens killed James even though they agreed to leave their territory. Victoria said that she and Laurent were lucky to escape with their lives. They had to go on the run because the Cullens continued to track them even after they had left the area so they couldn't tell anyone about what they had done to James."

"Victoria twisted the facts, Riley. Believe me, I know. I was there. Victoria and James came across the Cullens in a clearing. That part of her story is true. The Cullens connected their presence in the area with a spate of hiker disappearances and the death of one of the locals. The Cullens asked them to leave the area because they maintained a year-round residence in Forks and their hunting was attracting too much attention. When they refused, the offense they took was that James wanted to kill me. James thought it would be great sport to play cat and mouse with the Cullens by chasing them around as they tried to hide me from him. They killed him when he attacked them trying to get to me."

"I don't believe you."

"If Victoria knew that the Cullens were so dangerous, how do you explain Victoria sending Laurent back here to kidnap me?"

"Laurent came on his own. Victoria escaped to the south to hide from the Cullens but Laurent got tired of running. He came back to try to broker a truce with the Cullens but the wolves got to him first. The Cullens betrayed their own kind. They made a pact with the wolves to watch their territory. Laurent was killed by their pack of guard dogs."

"Laurent had only been with Victoria and James a short time, Riley. His sense of self-preservation was stronger than his loyalty. He's the one that told the Cullens how much James enjoyed a good game of chase. He warned them that James would come after me and wouldn't give up until he finished his game. James tracked me to Arizona and he and Victoria lured me away from the Cullens. He was killed because he tried to kill me and then the Cullens."

I held out my arm. "Look! Look at my arm. This is where James bit me."

"That can't be true. If you were bitten you would be one of us."

"Edward removed the venom before I could be changed."

"That's not possible."

"It is. Laurent left Victoria and James because he wanted no part of the fight they started with the Cullens. When he told them what James planned, he said he wanted something different from what he had with James and Victoria. He was intrigued by the Cullens lifestyle. The Cullens were grateful for his help and they thought he was sincere. They connected him to another coven that were like them so Laurent could learn more. He abandoned Victoria and James to their fate. He tried to live with the other coven but realized that the lifestyle wasn't for him. Victoria tracked him down and asked him to come back to Forks to scout out the Cullens for her so she could get her revenge on them. The Cullens were long gone from Forks at that point. Laurent found me for Victoria. He told me what Victoria had planned for me. He decided it would be more fun to kill me but the wolves saved my life."

"You're wrong! Victoria kept moving south, but the Cullens were constantly on her trail. Victoria made it to Brazil and realized that she would never be safe if she didn't do something drastic. She faked her death so the Cullens would stop looking for her. She tore off enough of her own skin that would still regenerate. She burned it and mixed it with other ashes to make them think she had been destroyed. It seemed to work. The Cullens left and for a while she had her freedom."

"Then why did she come back?"

"She couldn't go on living without avenging her brother and his mate. She was lucky enough to meet a vampire named Maria as she traveled back north from Brazil."

 _Crap. Crap. Crap._ Diego's and Bree's mention of newborns made more sense now.

"Victoria stayed with Maria. It seemed like she learned a few things from her new friend before she came back to Washington."

I couldn't believe the way that Victoria was able to weave just enough of the truth with the lies to be somewhat believable.

"That is when she found me. She saw me in Seattle when I was walking near campus. She said she knew the instant she laid eyes on me that I was her mate. It happens that way for some vampires when they see their mate for the first time. She changed me and trained me. She taught me how to elude the wolves and to keep changing decisions so the fortune teller couldn't see our plans. When she learned I was from Forks, she said it was fate. Forks took something away from her and now Forks was giving something even greater back to her. She loved me and I vowed I would protect her and help her defeat the Cullens."

"Why go to all that trouble? Why didn't she just kill me?"

"You weren't enough. She needed you to lure the Cullens back. If you were in danger, the Cullens would come to protect you. But she overestimated their affection for you. They didn't come back did they? So, she decided to up the ante. She heard about some celebration that you were going to on the reservation through some gossipy women in town. She thought if she put you in the hospital, word would get to the Cullens. Instead, those mutts killed her."

"Where were you?"

"She was supposed to be in and out before the dogs noticed her. She had done it many times before. We both had. She didn't think this time would be any different. We sent a few vampires to Forks ahead of her to distract the patrols. Obviously, that wasn't enough. The dogs murdered her!"

"She attacked a child!"

"It wasn't a real child. It was just one of their puppies. No great loss."

I couldn't stop my look of disgust.

He ignored it and just continued his story. "When she didn't come back, I found the ashes."

"If _you_ wanted revenge, why didn't you kill me after the wolves killed Victoria?"

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple. I wanted more than just your death. I watched you when you were in the hospital. I followed you to Florida. Your mother is very attractive by the way," he taunted.

I clenched my fist at the thought of how close he was to my family.

"I followed you from Florida when you moved to Oregon. I watched you and waited until your roommate left town. Then I took the opportunity to look around your apartment."

"Why not then?" I couldn't stop myself from pushing.

"Because I wanted to wait until you had something to lose! Killing you any of those first few months after you left Forks would have been a mercy killing. You would have welcomed the end. I wanted you to have something to live for and then take it all away from you."

He practically hissed each word. The hate in his eyes was frightening.

"I watched your little dance with Edward. It killed me to stay away from you but I couldn't risk your roommate or your vampire catching my scent repeatedly. I didn't need them trying to track me down before I was ready. You see Diego has a unique talent. He has the ability to mask his scent. So with Diego I could keep an eye on you and the Cullens until I had everything in place. The wait was difficult but I found ways to amuse myself from a distance. Substitutes, you might say, to take my anger out on."

"The girls that looked like me?"

"Yes. You should feel very special. If it weren't for you all those women would be alive today. At first I went after them for my own private satisfaction. Then I realized how amusing it would be if you got a chance to see some of my handiwork."

"Why Lauren?"

"She recognized me. I could tell if I flattered her and paid attention to her she wouldn't say anything to you and Cullen. But she got tiresome. She told me everything I needed to know. Her trip to Forks to visit her parents fit perfectly with my plan. I thought of killing her in Portland but this worked out so much better, don't you think?"

"You are a monster."

"No! I'm what all of you made me. You murdered my mate. Now I'm going to kill yours and take the rest of his coven with him. When I'm done with them I will destroy those mutant dogs that carried out their orders to kill Victoria."

He stormed out of the room and I slid down the wall and sat back down on the floor to wait. Wait for rescue or wait for this to be finally over once and for all.

XXXXXXX

EPOV

We met Leah and Seth in the woods off the walking trail. I could see the tear stains on Leah's face and hear the frantic thoughts in her head. She was beating herself up as much as the rest of us.

"Edward, I'm so sorry. One of us should have been with her. I'll never forgive myself for not being there!"

"Leah, this is my fault not yours. I knew I should have come with her. I should have stuck with my instincts and followed her. I could have stayed out of sight until she spoke to Charlie, but I should have been there to watch over her."

"Enough of placing blame," Carlisle said. "There is more than enough to go around. What we need to do now is figure out who took her and where."

"Agreed."

"Where's Alice and Jasper?"

"They were in Seattle when you called. They are meeting us here." I explained about Eleazer and Carmen and their request for help from Jasper. I told her about Alice's frantic call about Bella.

"Do you think that the vampires in Seattle did this?"

"No. The timing is wrong for them to be in Forks when this happened, but we think it is all connected."

I stared at the police cars and the men in uniform walking around the crime scene.

"We're not going to be able to do much until the police crime scene unit leaves."

"Seth and I searched the area before they arrived. We couldn't catch much of a scent. It rained most of the day so the ground was very wet."

I could see Charlie in the distance. He looked frantic.

"How's Charlie?"

"He's a mess. He can't officially list Bella as a missing person for forty-eight hours. When he raised the idea that she might have seen something, they wouldn't listen."

" _I want to send two of the officers to look for my daughter."_

" _We can't do that, Charlie," the Mayor said. "You don't know she if she witnessed anything."_

" _She's gone, Bryon. Whoever did this must have taken her."_

" _Charlie, we don't have a lot of man power. We can't chase your hunch. You know that Bella has had problems with depression in the past. Hell, you almost put her in the hospital for it when she was in high school. Then she took off on you for a week after she had her miscarriage? You and Sue just had the baby. Maybe she needed a few days to deal with it. You know how young girls are these days."_

 _Charlie went to argue but the mayor raised his hand to stop him._

" _We need to focus all our resources on this murder. The people will be frightened. We need to give them answers as quickly as possible. If you can't handle it, I can ask the governor to send a special investigative task force to come here."_

"We told Charlie we would look for her around Forks and call her school friends in Portland. That should buy us some time."

"What about security cameras? Does the hospital have cameras?"

"Only close to the building. Nothing on the parking lot."

"Not exactly a crack system."

"I think you have forgotten small town living."

"Emmett, can you see if you can hack into their system and get a look at the tapes?"

"If that doesn't work, I'll break into their security room."

"No need. I still have my keys from when I was on staff," Carlisle said as he jingled some keys in the air.


	42. Chapter 42 - Coming Together

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** I hope you like how this is going. There are few more chapters to go but they have all been written. I hope you will all leave a review because I read what you write and I edit or add things based on your comments or feedback. So if there is anything you want to see happen, now is the time to tell me.

Thank you to my consistent reviewers. I can't tell you how much I appreciate the fact that you go out of your way to leave a review. You guys are the greatest. As always, thank you to my beta, Alicedoubtfire. She has the patience of a saint. She has read these last chapters multiple times to help me catch issues and to improve on my ideas.

Thank you to the new followers and those that favorited the story. If you haven't left a review, please tell me what you think. Feedback is very motivating.

 **Chapter 42 – Coming Together**

"Come on," Riley said at the doorway. "Someone wants to meet you."

My legs were stiff and I rose from the floor less than gracefully. I was glad to get out of this room. I hadn't heard Diego or Bree's voices since Riley had come here before. In fact, all I heard for the last few hours was some shuffling around noises. At this point I was more bored than scared. I followed Riley down some stairs and found myself in a family room of a house that had seen better days. I looked at the peeling walls. Yup. Definitely black mold.

The windows were only partially boarded at this level. The house appeared to be surrounded by a field. I caught sight of a barn. This must be an abandoned farm.

A woman stood in the center of the room. She had jet black hair that cascaded around her shoulders in gentle waves. She wore a skin tight jump suit that showed off her curvaceous figure. She was stunning. She looked me over as well and based on her expression she found me wanting.

"I don't see the fuss." The woman said scornfully with a strong Spanish accent as she circled me. She leaned in and smelled my hair. I tried to stay as still as possible but I couldn't help but cringe at her closeness. "She looks very ordinary to me. Although, she really does smell delicious,"

"Not too close, Maria. We need her alive."

"Pity. Well, we can always save her for later."

Riley didn't look pleased with her words but he didn't deign to comment.

She turned her back to me and asked him, "So your plan is in place?"

"Yes. We have the girl, now we just have to make sure the Cullens know she is missing. They will definitely show up for her."

"Are you sure? That is what Victoria thought and we both know how well that worked out for her."

"Shut your mouth. You have no right to talk about her like that."

Great. Now she was poking the psychotic bear. I felt like I was in a cage with two growling tigers that could turn on me at any moment.

"Calm down, querido. I'm not saying it as a criticism but as a caution. Don't underestimate them. Remember, I know Jasper. I know what he is capable of. And he is only one of their gifted vampires."

"And you have no gift of your own?"

"Like you, I don't have any discernible special powers but I like to think that I have a gift for seeing the big picture and strategy."

"And what do you see as the big picture?"

She sauntered up to him and ran her finger up his chest until her palm cupped the side of Riley's face. "I see us doing great things together. What is to stop us from ruling North America together?"

He took a step back, clearly uncomfortable with her touch. He looked at his watch and turned away from her to put on the TV. It was the evening news but he kept the television on mute.

She just smiled. "You are a shy one."

"Look Maria, you know Victoria was my mate."

"Of course. Of course, querido. But she is gone," she said in a cajoling manner. "And as much as that saddens me, there is nothing that says you can't move on from her. You will find that eternity can get very lonely."

He didn't respond to her flirting. Instead, he changed the subject.

"Are the newborns on their way?" Riley asked.

"Yes. I had Raul and Clarissa take them the long way and in smaller groups. I told them to make their movement erratic."

"Why in small groups?"

"They needed to eat before we put your plan into action so they are at full strength and more controllable. That meant they had to travel different routes so their feeding doesn't draw too much attention from the humans and Jasper's witch. Raul and Clarissa have burner phones. They'll call when they get closer for further instructions."

"Not here?"

"No. The newborns are too volatile. They would take one whiff of the Cullen's pet and we would have a fight on our hands. As it is we lose a few newborns each time they are let loose to feed. They kill one another fighting for scraps. Oh well, it's the price one has to pay to have an army at peak strength."

Maria turned to look at me again and then back at Riley. "How do you plan to let the Cullen's know you have her?"

"That's already been taken care of." He pointed to the TV and turned up the volume. "I expect they will recognize my calling card."

"And now in local news, there is a tragic story coming out of Forks, Washington. Our Patricia Mathews is on the scene."

"Good evening, Mark. The body of a local girl was found earlier this evening in a public park near Forks hospital. The senseless murder has shook this small logging community where crime is almost non-existent."

The camera panned away from the news reporter. The police walked behind crime scene tape that circled the bench that had held Lauren's body. The bench was empty in the scene but I could still see her still form and sightless eyes. Oh God, Lauren. How could I have forgotten about her these last few hours? Then a familiar man walked into the frame. It was Charlie. Even from the camera distance he looked like he had aged ten years.

 _I'm sorry, Dad._

"Look, Bella. There's your father," Riley taunted. "I have to say he looks much older than the last time I visited him in your house. He was on the couch then, sleeping. Victoria had sent me to your house to find something with your scent on it. I bet you never realized just how close he came to dying? You seem to put all the people you love in danger, don't you?"

 _My missing shirt!_

"I hope you enjoy this moment. After all, it will be the last time you see him."

My eyes watered but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing how his words affected me. I just stared at the television screen as the news cast continued.

"Local authorities have not released any details of how the poor girl was murdered but they have released her name."

Lauren's high school year book picture flashed on the screen. She looked like the typical all American blonde haired, blue eyed girl in the black velvet drape of the senior picture pose.

"She was Lauren Mallory, age twenty-one of Forks, Washington. She had been attending Portland State University and was in Forks visiting friends and family. Her family was unavailable for comment. We did, however, get an opportunity to speak to one of her former high school classmates."

The reporter turned to a pretty young girl. "What can you tell us about Lauren?"

"Well, I'm Jessica Stanley and Lauren and I were _best_ friends all through high school. We were like sisters. Thank god you used her graduation picture before she cut her hair for her 'modeling career'." The young girl made air quotes as she said modeling career. "Long hair was such a better look for her. Anyway, everyone from high school loved her. I mean, she wasn't the high school class president. That was _me_. And she wasn't the senior year Valedictorian. That was _also me_. But she was _super_ popular and this is going to put such a damper on our first high school reunion. You know what I mean? OMG! I just realized this could have been me! I mean, Lauren only came home from her state school because I came home from Stanford. This is so surreal. My cousin said that something like this happened to a friend of a friend of hers and they made a movie about it. Do you think they will make a movie about this?"

The reporter stood there dazed. There was just silence. Someone in the newsroom must have panicked at the dead air because the picture quickly changed to the news anchors in Port Angeles who also looked a bit shocked. Mark cleared his throat and said, "Ok, well Patricia thank you for that heart breaking story. We'll be back in a moment." The news cut to a commercial.

You had to give it to Jessica. She found a way to get her fifteen minutes of fame from Lauren's death. Lauren would have been strangely proud and pissed at Jessica.

"Maybe we should do the town a favor and kill that insipid girl on the TV when we finish with the Cullens. How did you manage to spend time with her little friend without killing her?"

"It wasn't easy."

The news came back on but they had moved on to sports and the weather. I almost cried. I had hoped to catch another glimpse of Charlie. _Please Edward, find me._

"Did you keep back one of the newborns as I asked?"

"Yes. Diego and Bree have him in the barn. He has been kept away from the rest of the group. He was blindfolded by Raul before I took him. He's a bit more mature than the ones we moved last night so he is more manageable."

"Good that means that he is a blank slate if he is captured alive."

"What do you plan to do with them?"

"We're going to use him to send a message to the Cullens."

XXXXX

EPOV

Emmett was able to get into the hospital security office. He didn't have enough time to review the tapes on sight but the security guard was incompetent and taped a paper to the bottom of his keyboard with his passwords.

"I'm going to go back to the house and set up our computers. I can log into the security footage from there and start going through them."

"I'm going to stick around here and see if I can pick up any scents that the wolves might have missed," Jasper said.

"Leah, you should go see Sam. Tell him what happened and warn him that there are likely vampires in the area. Tell him we are here. We need to meet with him and the pack so they can identify us and recognize our scents. The last thing we need is a mishap between us and the pack as we look for Bella."

"Agreed. Seth and I will go there now."

Alice turned to me. "I think I'll stick with Jasper. With Leah and Seth gone, maybe I can pick up something about who took Bella or where they have taken her."

"I think I'll stay with you. I'll try to get closer to the forensics team and see if I can pick up anything from their thoughts." It wasn't much but I had to do something.

Carlisle nodded and said, "We'll meet you back at the house."

Alice and Jasper took off in the direction of the walking trail.

"Carlisle!" Eleazar called out. "We just heard from Kate. She is going to meet us at your house."

"And Tanya?"

"We still can't get a hold of her."

Two hours later I was back at the Forks' house. Jasper and Alice had called in but had found nothing. They said that they wanted to keep looking. I updated everyone on what I could learn from the crime scene team. It wasn't much.

When Kate and Callum arrived, my sense of frustration and helplessness exploded. I rushed Callum and pinned him to the wall with my forearm pressed against his neck.

"Did you have something to do with this?"

Callum looked confused.

"Edward, calm down. Give me a minute with Kate to get her up to speed and do what you asked me to do yesterday."

It took Carlisle and Emmett to calm me down but I backed off as Eleazar spoke to the couple. Kate and Callum looked stunned by what Eleazar was telling them. Eleazar turned back to me but I knew what he was going to say.

"Edward, I don't detect any special abilities."

"What made you think we were involved?"

Emmett told them everything that had happened after they had left. Jasper showed Kate and Callum the picture of Riley.

"Wow, you could be twins," Kate mused.

I nodded. "I'm sorry Kate. I'm sorry Callum. I just had to make sure you weren't involved with all of this. I'm going crazy here. We can't find her!"

"It's ok, Edward. We'll help."

"What have you found out so far?" Callum asked.

"We reviewed the security tapes from outside of the hospital. There weren't any cameras close to the lot where they found Lauren's body but we were able to match up the cars that passed by the camera near the exit. All but one, belonged to an employee or someone that lives in Forks."

"And the car that didn't match up?"

"An SUV that was reported stolen from Seattle. Forks doesn't have any cameras on the local roads. I'm checking any cameras of local businesses like the bank and the gas stations. It's slow going."

"What can we do?"

"We're checking any abandoned property in a thirty-mile radius. She has to be somewhere."

Eleazar worked with Kate and Callum giving them an area to search. Since the wolves would be unfamiliar with them, we had them in an area far away from the reservation.

Carlisle found me an hour later in my old room looking out the window into the forest.

"Don't be alone, son. Come back to the main room. Let your family be there for you."

"I can't stand this waiting. Wondering. What if I lost her forever this time? I won't be able to survive without her, Carlisle."

"She's alive, Edward. If this Riley wanted her dead, we would have found her beside that poor school girl he left on the park bench. She was taken for a reason. We just need to figure out what that is so we can get her back to you. Don't give up faith. Bella will need your strength."

My cell phone buzzed. It was Leah. She said Sam needed to meet with us at the treaty border. My call waiting beeped through. I told Leah we would be there and picked up a call from Alice.

"I just saw something. They sent a newborn out to send us a message."

"Do you know where?"

"I think it was to the reservation."

"Leah just called and asked us to meet the pack at the treaty line. Can you and Jasper get back here?"

"We're on our way."

Carlisle, Esme, Emmett, Jasper, Alice and I were at the border. Rosalie stayed with Kate, Callum, Eleazar and Carmen. They kept looking for potential sights that Riley might hide his army or Bella.

Sam, in his human form, walked out of the woods at the treaty border flanked by four horse size wolves. They were bigger than I expected in real life. I had seen them through Leah and the other wolves' minds but they were more impressive in person. They approached us cautiously and then stopped about five feet away.

"We think this belongs to you." Sam nodded to one of the wolves that stood to his side with something in its mouth. The wolf was Paul and I caught the replay of his attack of the newborn. I knew what it was but Esme gasped behind me as the wolf dropped a detached arm on the ground a few feet away from me. The wolf bared its teeth as it backed up warily from my family.

"We caught it on our lands. We tried to capture it alive but it was too powerful. We had to tear it apart or risk losing one of our own."

I looked at the hand and noted that it held a piece of paper. I took the paper from the lifeless grip and jumped a bit when the fingers moved. The rest of the wolves started to growl at the movement. I tossed the arm to Jasper in disgust. He dropped it on the ground and put his foot on top of the squirming hand to keep it in place.

I read the note. "It's time to end this game. If you want your pet back, be at the clearing where this all started at dusk tomorrow."

"Where is he talking about?" Sam asked.

Alice said, "It's the clearing where we first encountered Victoria and James."

"Do you see something?"

"Yes. A little. They made their decisions. They plan to attack us at the baseball clearing."

"Can you tell how many?"

"No. Not yet. It keeps changing. Maybe if I get away from the wolves something will come to me more clearly."

Jasper said, "Based on the scents we picked up in Seattle, I would expect at least thirty to forty newborns. That is consistent with how Maria operated in Texas. Any more than that and there isn't enough territory to keep them fed so they turn on each other and kill each other. That size army could normally overwhelm a small coven like ours by sheer number and brute strength."

Sam said, "We saw that this one was much stronger than Victoria or the one with dreadlocks that tried to kill Bella. You won't be able to handle thirty or more of these alone. You will need our help."

"We can't ask you to do that."

"You don't have to. We would do this for Bella. Besides, it serves our own purpose. If they defeat you, we will have to face them anyway. It's better if we work together to destroy them."

I looked at Carlisle and nodded and he said to Sam, "Thank you. We accept your help."

Jasper stepped up, "If you are going to confront them with us, you should allow us to show you how you should fight them."

I could see the dogs were getting restless and felt insulted that their ability was being questioned. They were so young. They had no sense of mortality. Their change made them feel invincible.

Jasper raised his hands to calm them down. "We know that you are powerful fighters but newborns are at the peak of their strength while they still retain some of their human blood in their system. That gives them an advantage over you individually. If one of you is willing, I would like to show you what you have to avoid."

The wolves just stood there. Finally, Quil came forward in his wolf form. Jasper recognized his scent and nodded his thanks that Quil trusted him. Jasper looked at me and then down by his foot. He kicked the arm to me and I pinned it with my foot. I reached into my pocket and grabbed some matches. I set the arm on fire as Jasper approached Quil.

"You see, if they get their arms around your chest and squeeze they will crush you. I'm going to demonstrate what I mean. I don't want anyone to worry. I'm not going to hurt Quill. I am going to put my arms in the position I'm talking about so don't attack me."

The dogs just stared at Jasper in suspicion.

Jasper grabbed Quil and in a blur he had his arms around his chest and the wolf's four paws in the air. The other wolves growled. Quil communicated to the wolves that Jasper was not hurting him. They didn't attack but their teeth were bared.

Jasper turned sideways so the wolves could see how he had grasped Quil. "It would only take me applying pressure to crush his chest and spine. I would like to show you how to avoid this hold and how to get out of it if you are grabbed."

Carlisle spoke. "Jasper has the most experience with newborns. He can train your fighters on the best way to attack them. He can show you how to avoid getting crushed by them."

Sam nodded his consent.

"When do you want to get started?"

"We need to keep half of the pack on patrol. Why don't we train in two shifts?"

XXXXX

BPOV

I was back in my room when Maria came in. The black mold spot on the wall reminded me of one of those Rorschach tests. If I stared at it hard enough it looked like a fat butterfly. I wondered what hidden meaning a fat butterfly had in that test.

Maria interrupted my self-analysis. "Riley went out to hunt so I thought it would be nice if we got to know each other."

"I can't imagine why."

"We got word from our lookouts that your boyfriend and his family got our message. We lost the newborn that we sent it with but you have to break some eggs to make an omelet. I thought you would like to know that this will all be over by tomorrow."

"I hate to criticize your low tech communication system but did it ever occur to either of you to just call them on the cell phone that Diego took from me?"

"Hmm. Not sure if that _did_ occur to Riley," she said with an ironic laugh. "Oh well, a simple call or text lacks a certain amount of dramatic flair don't you think? We heard that the wolves delivered our messenger's hand to the Cullens with our note still clutched in it."

Maria looked down at her nails, she peeled at the blood red polish. I had the stupid thought that it matched her eyes. I wondered if she planned that.

"So I heard you tried to tell Riley that James was Victoria's mate. I imagine that didn't go over well."

"I'm sure James' ashes are twisting where ever they landed at Victoria making Laurent his lover. I hope there is a special place in hell reserved for those two."

"She had quite the imagination, didn't she? It is quite inconvenient. That poor sap is clinging to Victoria's memory. It's a shame. He and I could have had some fun. But it worked. She found a very loyal minion in that one."

"And you certainly took advantage of that loyalty."

"I saw an opportunity and seized it. A girls got to do what a girls got to do."

"Why?"

"Jasper, of course. He was my ultimate creation and my greatest disappointment. It's a shame he had to grow a conscience. He let his little friend Peter escape and they had to come back and tell him what life on the outside was really like. He left me because of them. Well, I got my revenge on Peter and his mate. Now I'll have it on Jasper. It wasn't his right to leave. _I_ choose when someone leaves me! He ruined everything. I gave him the gift of this life and he has squandered it to follow a bunch of do-gooders. He is actually living off animals! It's unnatural. He was better than that. He is the best strategist that I have ever seen. With him by my side, we could have overthrown the Volturi. We could have ruled the Vampire world."

I started to worry that the change brought delusions of grandeur. What do they say? Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

XXXXXX

EPOV

An hour later the first group of wolves were ready to train.

"I thought there were sixteen of you?" There were ten horse size wolves in the clearing. That was more than we expected if they were sending half their numbers to train with us.

This time Sam was in his wolf form and I translated for the family.

' _Four more of our teenagers went through the change. We only brought one and had the rest run patrols to get them calm. They are still a bit volatile but we are better at helping them transition than we were when it first happened. It seems the pack mind passes on more information than we understood. They transition out of the first phase much quicker now. When we had four change at once we knew there had to be a big threat nearby. So you can see this isn't just your fight.'_

I nodded and Jasper began the training session. As Jasper spoke to the wolves it was easy to see how he was as a major in the military.

"The newborns are going to be all brawn and no brain. So you can't go for the obvious kills. They will be ready for that. You have to stay in control and use your fighting skills against them. You need to do the unexpected when you go in for the attack. For example, instead of approaching them head on go in from the side. Emmett, will you come over."

Emmett faced off against Jasper. "Now Emmett is the best example of a newborn."

Emmett looked offended. Jasper ignored him. "Because of his size, he relies on his strength when he fights."

Jasper held out his hand palm up and then curled his fingers motioning Emmett to come at him. Emmett didn't have to be told twice. He wanted to put Jasper on his ass. _I'll show him muscle._

Jasper easily side stepped him and used his momentum against him to get Emmett flying head over feet on to his ass. It was like watching a matador with a bull. Emmett popped up and for the next ten minutes Jasper demonstrated how to fell an opponent with superior size and strength.

"You can't underestimate the newborns. Don't judge them on their size. They could also have special talents." This time Jasper called Alice over. I could read in the wolves' minds that they thought this was going to be a slaughter after what they had seen Jasper do to Emmett. I smirked. This was going to be an education for them.

The wolves were shocked at the speed that Alice and Jasper sparred. One of the wolves thought it looked more like a high speed dance than a fight. He wasn't wrong. Alice anticipated Jasper's every move and stepped out of reach seconds before he could make contact. It looked like a complicated choreographed tango. In a blur she had climbed up his back and was crouched on his shoulders with her mouth at his neck. Jasper froze. She giggled, kissed his neck and jumped back to the ground. The wolves gave her a wide birth as she walked by. She just winked at them.

We explained that some of the newborns could have abilities. The newborns might not realize that they have them but they could manifest during the fight. The wolves could see how Alice's gift allowed her to anticipate the moves of her opponent. They looked nervous. Jasper tried to calm them. "The major advantage you have is how you fight."

"They want to know what you mean," I said to Jasper.

"You fight as a pack. You fight in tandem with each other to bring down your prey. The newborns have no sense of unity. They are driven by their own survival and won't fight with or for another newborn. If they did, they are just as likely to kill the other newborn in the frenzy as they are to kill the opponent. So use that to your advantage."

Jasper had each of the family members spar with each other so the wolves could become familiar with our fighting techniques. Then he tried to pair them up with a wolf. At first they were reluctant. Then Leah, Seth and Quil came forward. The family worked with them, even Esme. The rest of the wolves finally joined in. Jasper showed the wolves how to get out of holds and what areas of the body to attack. He advised them on how to fight in pairs to dispatch their enemy quickly and efficiently.

I got paired off against Paul.

' _I've been looking forward to this bloodsucker.'_

"Your cockiness is going to get you killed wolf."

' _It's only cocky if you can't back it up. I think you'll find I can.'_

"Bring it on, wolf."

' _All this trouble for one girl. That bitch has been nothing but trouble since she moved to this town. When you dumped her she came sniffing around Jake. Luckily, he realized he could do better. But then she tried to trap him with a baby. I'm surprised that you want to get Bella back so badly. After all, she's sloppy seconds isn't she?'_

"You fucking bastard!" I lunged for Paul and knocked him ten feet away and on his ass.

Paul stood up, shook his fur and pulled back his muzzle in a semblance of a doggy grin.

' _Truth hurts doesn't it vampire. She was a real tiger in bed. Maybe you'd like a peek at the Jake and Bella show?'_

I got a flash of the night that Bella slept with Jake from Jake's perspective.

' _Enough!' Sam said to Paul. 'It's difficult enough that we have no control over the information we share with each other. You have shown that you cannot be trusted by your brothers. You shame us all Paul.'_

' _Who was there when your mother was ill, Paul? Bella. She brought food and helped out with your grandmother when your mother was bed ridden. She even convinced Rachel to give you a chance when you imprinted on her and she wasn't interested in being with the reservation male-whore. And let's not forget that Rachel didn't exactly come to you pure.'_

Paul growled.

' _I could as easily replay the Paul and Rachel show, you asshole. What you did wasn't right.' Sam looked around at all the wolves in the clearing. 'I never thought I would have to issue this type of order. None of you will ever replay that memory or any of Jakes memories of Bella again. I want you all to consider how you would feel if one of your brothers did that to you and your mate. That is an order!'_

I picked up a strange thought pattern from the wolves. I realized that Sam must be able to issue a command that they can't break.

' _I'm sorry, Edward. That was uncalled for. I'm sorry that Bella has yet again been wronged by one of us. She only ever tried to be good to our people. Please accept our apologies.'_

"Keep him away from me or I won't be able to answer for what I will do to him."

' _Paul, get out of here. Take the new wolves out for patrol and work with them on what we just learned.'_

"I think we've done enough for now. Why don't we take a break and meet up again in two hours," Jasper suggested.

Sam dismissed the wolves. He changed back to his human form. "I'm sorry, Edward," he said again.

I nodded but needed some space. Sam gave me an apologetic look and then walked over to Jasper and Carlisle.

"Would you consider letting down the boundaries temporarily so we can help you patrol?" I heard Carlisle ask. "It would give your wolves a chance to familiarize themselves with us and our scent and let us check some locations that require us to cross your lands."

Jasper added, "It would give us a chance to see how we work together and provide extra manpower so your pack can get some rest."

Sam agreed and they worked out a patrol plan.

Carlisle walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "At least we know Bella is still alive and they will bring her to the clearing,"

I knew he was trying to make me feel better but I wouldn't until I had her back safe and sound.

"What if one of the newborns attacks her? You know how hard they are to control."

"Riley must be aware of it too. He's not going to let them screw up his plan at this point. She'll be ok, Edward, until we can get to her."

I wanted to believe him. I hated the waiting. I had to keep busy. So, we trained with the wolves twice more. We had the Denali's present at the remaining trainings so they became familiar to the wolves. The Denali's were shocked at the wolves at first. We explained their origin and how we met them the first time we settled in the area. Eleazar wasn't happy that we kept it from them all this time but he understood the need for secrecy. In light of the overwhelming number of newborns he could also see the advantage of having them on our side.

"You said Laurent came back here for Bella."

I nodded.

"Is that what happened to him? Did the wolves destroy him?"

"Yes. They stumbled across him when he was about to kill Bella."

"Maybe that will give Irina closure."

"You can't tell her, Eleazer. She can't know about the wolves. Even Tanya said that Irina convinced herself that Laurent was her mate. We both know he wasn't. If she knew about the wolves she would come here to avenge him. Haven't we had enough of that? He isn't worth it. He admitted that he was sneaking off to feed on humans. He never embraced our life style. He fell back in with Victoria the first chance he got. These weren't the actions of a true mate."

"Tanya doesn't know about the wolves?"

"No. It's their secret and we didn't want to risk sharing it if we didn't have to."

"You're right, Edward. Their attack of Laurent was provoked. He went onto their lands and tried to attack a human. Irina would never see it that way. She would only focus on the fact that they killed her lover. We won't tell Irina or Tanya about them."

When we weren't training we looked for Bella. Emmett found no further traces of the SUV on camera. We had Jenks looking for potential sites in a three county radius. The property searches resulted in nothing but a few human squatters. Charlie had been out looking on his own. He refused to stand down.

Alice looked dejected when she walked over to me. She touched my arm and said, "I'm so sorry that I've been useless, Edward."

I looked at my sister and then took her in my arms. "It's not your fault, Alice."

"I get flashes of images and then they change. They keep changing their mind about things so I can't get a clear image of what is going to happen," she said in frustration.

"Laurent must have told Victoria how to get around your gift. Then she must have taught Riley. Of course, the dogs don't help, do they?"

"It gets better the more I'm around them, but yeah, I feel blinded."

I couldn't hold back anymore. I told her my deepest fear. "What if I get her killed?"

"Edward, Bella knows that you will do everything you can to save her. So will the rest of us. This isn't your fault. This all started because of James and then Victoria. Jasper feels the guilt too. He thinks that this wouldn't have happened without Maria to help it along. Carlisle is right. We can't spend time blaming ourselves. We need to focus on getting Bella back safely and ending Victoria's legacy forever."


	43. Chapter 43 - Revenge, A Meal Best Served

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** Idon't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Sorry for delay. Welcome new followers. My heartfelt thanks to my consistent reviewers. You guys rock.

If you haven't left a review, please leave at least one so I know what you thought of the story. As I said last posting, I read what you write and I edit or add things based on your comments or feedback. So again, if there is anything you want to see happen, now is the time to tell me.

As always, thank you to my beta, Alicedoubtfire.

 **Chapter 43 – Revenge – A Meal Best Served Cold**

DPOV

"You don't have to do this," the human said. She was in the kitchen with another untouched sandwich in front of her.

"If you help me I know the Cullens will protect you from Riley and Maria."

Maria and Riley had received word that the Cullens had received Riley's message. They left the house to hunt and Bree and I were on babysitting duty again.

"What makes you think we need protection from them?"

She gave me an incredulous look. "We both know that those two are so consumed with revenge and power plays that they don't care what happens to you. Don't let them lead you and your mate to your almost certain destruction."

"We have the numbers on our side. It's the Cullens you should be afraid for not us."

"I know the Cullens. While I don't want them to fight because of me I know that they are a formidable force. I was there when they destroyed Victoria's mate James. Do you really want to put yourself and Bree at risk for something you don't believe in?"

"Shut up and eat your sandwich."

It was easy to tell her to stop talking but harder to block out her words in my head. The waiting only made it worse. Riley and Maria returned a few hours later. Their eyes glowed bright red and they looked sated.

"Why don't you and Bree hunt? I want you at your strongest for tomorrow."

Bree looked relieved to get out of the house.

"Don't go too far. We wouldn't want you to miss anything," Maria purred. Her tone was pure menace. I understood her message. Bree and I ran for the forest and we made our way into Port Angeles. For a few hours we pretended we were a normal couple. I held Bree's hand and we walked the streets. She was distant and silent.

"What's wrong?"

"I want to go."

"Don't let the human mess with your head."

"Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"Call her 'the girl' or 'the human'?"

"That is what she is."

"Yes, but you know her name. You watched her for weeks. Why don't you call her Bella?"

"Why should I? They are food to us. Would you have named the cow that was going to become your dinner? You have to think of them differently. They aren't like us."

"I'm not sure 'us' is better. Do you believe me now about Riley? You heard the call from one of Maria's scouts. He saw the wolves take down the newborn they sent out. What more proof do you need that we don't matter to them? They would throw any one of us to the wolves or the vampires if it gets them what they want."

I calmed her down but I suspected she was right. Maria had a hold on Riley. She had an agenda and Riley appeared to fulfill some role in it. She fed his anger for her own purposes.

"Why don't we take the girl up on her offer? Let's exchange her for safe passage out of here?"

"How? We wouldn't be able to get her out of the house without them being alerted. Besides, if we cross Riley and Maria and they succeed in their fight against the Cullens, we will be on the run forever. Maria will hunt us down. I think we should wait until tomorrow and we'll look for our chance."

She looked unhappy but she agreed.

"Where do you want to go when we leave?" I asked her trying to cheer her up.

She thought for a moment and said shyly, "I always wanted to go to Ireland. Everything is so green. It looks like a magical place."

"Then that is where we will go."

She looked down at her hands and then at me. She said hesitantly, "You said the Cullens went to school?"

"Yes." I wondered where she was going with this.

"Do you think we could do that?" She said quickly. "I liked school before I ran away. I was even pretty good at it." She looked down again but I saw the sadness in her face. "When I got away from my father I thought I could find a part time job and eventually go back to school. Maybe go to college." Her voice was wistful when she said the last sentence. My heart ached for her. She had suffered so much in her brief human life.

It hadn't worked out that way. She ended up on the streets hungry and desperate. Sometimes I forgot how young she was. I reached across and lifted her chin gently so she looked at me. I pushed a loose strand of her beautiful brown hair behind her ear. "Sure. We can do that." I wanted to make her dreams come true. An education didn't seem like much. But if that is what made her happy I would find a way to make it happen.

She smiled at me and for a moment it was just the two of us in our own bubble. I took her hand and we walked around the city until we found what we needed. We erased all the evidence of our hunt and reluctantly returned to the farm house.

XXXX

"It's time. Let's go," Riley said. It was shortly before dusk and Riley looked excited to start the confrontation. I had misgivings and the human hadn't helped.

"You are going to your death," Bella warned.

"Bound her hands and gag her," Riley instructed in an annoyed voice. "I'm tired of listening to her."

I was surprised the girl was still alive. I wasn't sure what she had said to Riley and Maria while we were gone but it certainly rattled their cages. The girl was stubborn. The sandwich from last night was sitting uneaten on the table. I should have expected it. I had watched her long enough to see that iron will.

Maria had left an hour ago to set up the rendezvous with the vampires that she had brought with her. They were leading the groups of newborns. She would give them the last minute directions through burner phones so they knew where to go and what signal to expect to start the attack.

Bree gave the human an apologetic look as she tied a strip of cloth around her mouth. Riley shuffled her out to the stolen SUV. He growled impatiently as she fumbled, unable to get into the backseat with her hands tied behind her. He lifted her and shoved her in but she tipped over on to her side. He slammed the car door. Bree got into the back on the other side and righted the human.

I sat in the driver side seat as Riley climbed into the passenger side. I turned to Riley and waited for his instructions. He was still unwilling to give too much information. He wouldn't say where he had told the Cullens to go in his message. I turned on the ignition and drove to the end of the drive.

"Go south on that road," Riley pointed and I pulled out on to the main road. I just wanted this to be finished. We went on a highway and he told me which exit to take. He directed me to make a series of turns until he had me pull into a parking lot of one of the national parks. I parked and turned off the car. Bree got the girl out of the back seat and Riley took me aside.

"I want you and Bree to take Bella into the woods."

"We aren't going with you?" I asked in some surprise.

"No, I want you to take her into the woods for a distance and then call me. You have the burner phone, right?"

"Yes." Would we even get cell service here?

He must have read my expression. "Surprisingly, yes, there is cell service up here." He took a map out of his pocket and handed it to me. "I want you to call me after you have gone about a half mile parallel to the western trail." He pointed to an area on the map. Then he handed me a compass. I hated to break it to him but I wasn't a boy scout in my human existence. That wasn't the gang of choice in my neighborhood. "Once you get there, I'll tell you where to go." I was shocked when Riley grasped my forearm. He gave me a man hug and then said, "Good luck my friend. I'll see you when this is all over. Guard my prize carefully."

As soon as Riley had gone Bree whispered urgently, "Riley, let's just leave her here and go!"

I wanted to say yes, but I was still concerned that Riley and Maria might win and we would be on the run from them forever. This was almost done. I had to do this last thing and we could leave with a clean slate. But Bree didn't have to stay.

"I need to finish this. If you really want to go, Bree, you should go. I can handle the girl myself. I'll meet you in Seattle once this is done."

"No, I don't want to leave you."

"Corazon, I'll be fine."

"No. We stay together."

I kissed her on the side of her head. I loved this girl. I was lucky to have found her. She had been my bright shining light after I had woken up in this life. "Ok, then. Let's just get her to wherever Riley wants her to be and we'll reassess the situation."

Bree wasn't happy but she complied.

It was slow going with the girl. It was almost twilight. That wasn't an issue for us but it made it difficult for the human to see where she was going. It hadn't helped that her hands were tied behind her back which affected her balance. She was a clumsy girl. We spent more time trying to keep her upright than achieving forward motion. She slipped and fell just as I checked the map. Without her hands to catch her she fell backwards and hit her head. There was thump sound as it made contact with something solid on the ground.

Damn it. She had better be alright or Riley was going to kill me.

I picked her up. She looked dazed but otherwise seemed fine.

"Can you walk?"

She nodded her head and then winced. I broke the ties that held her hands. She looked relieved.

"We need to go just a little farther. Bree, why don't you help the girl?"

Bree put an arm through her arm and helped her the rest of the way. I checked the map and the compass one more time and took the lead. We walked until it was almost completely dark and then I called Riley. He was right. I had cell reception.

"Are there any high spots that you can see?"

"Yes," I replied. I found a point called Devil's Plateau on the map.

"Take her there. Don't tell me where. Just make sure it is high enough that the Cullens can see her but downwind of the newborns. The Cullens will have to break through our wall of newborns to get to her."

"What do you want us to do once we are there?"

"You'll see a clearing. Hold her until I give you the signal. After I have captured Edward Cullen, you'll bring her down. I want the satisfaction of killing her as he watches helpless to do anything to stop it. Once I think he has suffered enough, maybe I'll put him out of his misery. I'll tear him apart and burn his pieces like the wolves did to Victoria."

He was talking fast. He seemed manic. His tone only made me more uneasy. Resigned, I pushed everyone ahead.

Ten minutes later, we got to the plateau. I looked around below and found the only clearing. I saw that the Cullens were there but there were also four additional vampires with them. Wolves stood behind the vampires in a semi-circle. There were more than the eight that Riley had expected.

"Shit!" I cursed. I knew Riley had underestimated them. I questioned him last night after we returned. I didn't understand why he sent the newborn onto the reservation.

" _What about the wolves. Sending that newborn on to their property with the note will bring them into the fight. I thought we weren't going to fight them both at the same time."_

" _There's only eight of them. Even with the Cullens, we outnumber than more than three to one. That along with the newborns' strength will be too much for the Cullens and their mutts."_

I wanted to believe he was right but deep down I knew involving the wolves was a bad plan. The numbers and the newborn strength made sense when we were only going to take on the Cullens. Bree had seen it all along. Riley wasn't thinking clearly. He was letting his emotions overrule his logic. Now the numbers were only slightly in Riley's favor. I watched in dread as the scene unfolded below.

I heard a cry and then the newborns were let loose into the clearing following the charge of what I assumed were Maria's vampires. They came from three different directions but the Cullens and the wolves were ready for them. Unlike the frantic newborns, the Cullens and the wolves were organized and acted in a coordinated attack.

It didn't take long for me to see that it was going to be a slaughter. Two sets of wolves came out and flanked the sides of the newborns. The newborns hadn't known how to react. They were on the path for a frontal attack and were easily picked away by the wolves that came at them from their sides. The Cullens and the wolves that had been stationed in the front ran forward into the newborns. Both sides charged at each other at full speed.

Riley and Maria directed the newborns from the rear but the newborns were breaking formation. They panicked as they saw their comrades picked off by the more experienced vampires and enormous wolves.

I watched the vampire they called Jasper plow through three newborns like they were bowling pins. The wolves were behind Jasper tearing apart their bodies. Whatever tactical advantage Riley had with the newborns and his handful of mature vampires was gone with the larger numbers they were facing.

I knew how this was going to play out and I didn't want to be here when the Cullens and the wolves were finished.

"Come on, Bree. You were right. We need to get out of here now while they are still fighting."

"But what about the girl?"

"She'll slow us down. Her boyfriend saw her before the newborns attacked. He will find her. We need the head start to get away from here before they finish with Riley and Maria."

Bree hadn't needed to be told twice.

Bella swayed on her feet without Bree to hold her. She looked paler than normal. Bree helped her to a nearby boulder so she could sit. She got the girl settled and said, "I'm sorry."

Bree then turned to me, took my hand and we ran. We ran as fast and as far as we could.

XXXXX

EPOV

"That's the last of them." Carmen said wiping her hands on her pants.

"There's just these two left." Eleazar said. He and Emmett held Riley. Carmen and Kate had Maria. They couldn't trust Alice near her. The fight had gone out of both of Riley and Maria when they had seen how quickly we defeated their army.

"Hold them. I want to get Bella."

I had seen Bella as Riley had wanted me to. I read his mind as soon as he was near the clearing. He was insane. I learned that much from his internal ramblings. I made my way up to Devil's Plateau with vampire speed. I knew Riley had left Bella with the vampires that had kidnapped her from the hospital. He planned to have them bring her down when he had defeated us. At least he had been smart enough to keep her far away from the newborns. I couldn't detect any thoughts from them as I bounded up the mountainside. When I got to the plateau, there was no one there but Bella. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief as I found her alone and well. She sat on a boulder. Tears coursed down her face but she managed to smile at me.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm ok, Edward."

I grabbed her into my arms careful not to squeeze too hard. It was difficult. I wanted the assurance that she was alive and we were together. I never wanted to let her go ever again. She wasn't safe on her own. How many times did fate have to prove that to me?

"You are never leaving my sight again."

She gave me a sweet smile and kissed me. "I think that would be best."

Who was this agreeable girl and where was my Bella?

"Where are the vampires that were with you?"

"Diego and Bree saw how things were going for Riley and Maria and they took off."

I wanted to go after them and destroy them for daring to take Bella from me but I couldn't take the chance of leaving Bella on her own. I would get her to safety and then talk to Jasper and Sam. They could work out a plan to track down the the two rogue vampires.

"Come on. Let's get you down from here."

She nodded and then winced.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I just fell when Diego and Bree made me hike up here. I tripped on some loose rocks and fell backwards. Gravity and I are not friends. That is why I always try to avoid hiking up hill. "

"Except when you are kidnapped by vampires?"

"Except then."

We both laughed just relieved that we were together again.

I got serious. "I'm so sorry, baby. This is my fault."

"Edward, it was my fault. I'm supposed to be an intelligent adult. I should have been more careful."

"I should have watched over you."

"Yeah, well I should have been smart enough to stay with Seth or Leah. I got complacent. It's not your fault."

"Really? Because the way I see it this all stems back to me. If you hadn't met me none of this would have happened to you."

"If I hadn't met you I wouldn't have found the love of my life. Anything that happened after that was worth it. I don't regret anything."

I took in her in my arms again. I whispered into her hair, "It took us hours to realize you were missing. We couldn't track your scent. The rain washed away all trace of you. I was going crazy. We couldn't find you." I rocked her in my arms. "I can't lose you, Bella. I can't survive without you."

"You didn't lose me. I knew you would find a way to save me and you did."

I leaned back and kissed her on her forehead. "Let's not test that again."

I hugged her again and said, "You ready to go?"

She nodded so I picked her up and put her on my back. "Hold on tight." She squeezed my chest which I took as agreement and I carefully made my way back to the baseball clearing with her clinging on to my back. Once we were close to the family I bent down so she could walk. I turned around and saw her knees bend.

"Hey! I got you." I put my arm around her waist and we walked over to my relieved family. Esme grabbed her and hugged her. She smoothed down her hair in a motherly gesture and kissed her cheek. Carlisle took her in his arms next. He told her he was thankful that she was safe and back with them.

The rest of the family passed her around like a doll as they hugged her and told her how happy they were she was alright. Leah and Seth were still in wolf form. They barked as they approached her. Both wolves brushed her side with their furry bodies, excited to see she was alive and well. Even Callum took a turn when he walked back into the clearing after checking for any scattered remains.

The happy reunion was interrupted when Maria looked over at Riley and then at Callum. I could see a flash of memory. She recognized who he was.

"You know him," I said to Maria.

She smirked and stared at Callum. "So, you were Victoria's little mistake. I can see how she made the error."

"What are you talking about?" Callum asked, confusion clearly in his voice.

Maria looked impatient. ""Victoria. Your maker. She told me about her first attempt at turning a human. She had only ever had a human as food. She wasn't sure she had the restraint to actually turn one. She said she made a real mess of it. She mistook you for Riley."

Riley yelled, "No!"

"Sorry, querido. I'm afraid Bella was telling you the truth. Victoria was James' mate not yours. She only turned you because you were from Forks and familiar with the area and the locals. She attacked him by mistake."

She turned back to Callum. "When she realized her error she went to drain you completely but she got interrupted by a crowd of college students. They saw her so she left. When she came back to finish you off you must have crawled away because she couldn't find you. She was most upset at herself. She wasn't one for loose ends was she, Bella?"

Rosalie protectively stepped closer to Bella.

Riley's head was a mass of rage. "No! I was her mate." Riley broke free of Emmett and Jasper and went after Maria.

Alice anticipated the move. I could see what just flashed in her mind and we grabbed him. He fought like an animal. Rosalie pushed Bella over to Esme and jumped in to help. She grabbed Riley's head as Alice and I held his arms. She gave his head a twist as Alice and I each tore off an arm. We threw the pieces onto the fire.

It was over. He was finally gone. Bella would be safe.

She ran into my arms and I held her close. I moved her far away from Maria who was still restrained by Kate and Carmen.

"Is that to be my fate, Jasper?"

"Why did you come here, Maria?"

"For you of course, querido."

"To kill me?"

"No. If we had won, I wouldn't have let them kill you. I would have given you the choice to turn your back on this unnatural existence and live so you could fulfil your destiny at my side."

Jasper looked thunderstruck at her words. "And what destiny would that be?"

"To rule of course!" Her words then got softer. "Free me, Jasper. We could control this whole continent and then move on to Europe. The Volturi wouldn't stand a chance with you by my side."

"You're insane."

"Peter didn't think so when I took care of him and his mate," she spat out viciously. "Their deaths are at your door. You had no right to leave me!"

Before Jasper could answer, Alice went blank faced and then said, "Oh, no."

"What is it?"

I spoke first. "It's the Volturi. They will be here in a few minutes."

"How could they know where we were?" Rosalie asked.

"If I had to guess, I would say that would be because of Demetri," Eleazar replied. "He must have tracked Maria to here."

Carlisle turned to Sam and said with some urgency, "You and your pack need to go now. It would be better if the Volturi didn't see you. We would hate to repay your kindness by putting you in new danger."

Sam looked at me and I said to Carlisle, "Sam wants to know what we plan to do with Maria."

"We'll take care of her. She won't be a danger to you. I give you my word."

Leah nudged Bella. I hated to let her go but I said, "Bella, go with Leah."

"No, I don't want to leave you."

"She can't, Edward," Alice said.

"Why not?"

"I don't know. I just know that if she goes with the wolves she will die. She needs to stay with us."

I had to trust Alice. I turned to Sam. "Don't worry about us. We'll send word that everything is ok and it is safe for your people."

The black wolf looked at his pack and gave them a silent command.

Seth, Leah and Quill hesitated so I told them, "Bella will be fine. Trust Alice. Go, Leah. You know I will protect her with my life."

Alice said urgently, "You really need to leave now!"

Sam gave one last jerk of his head and the entire pack turned and melted into the dark surrounding forest. We erased as much of the traces of the wolves' tracks in the clearing that we could and we tossed any remaining newborn parts we found in the process on the burning fires. We stood waiting for the guard. We hid Bella in the back of our double line behind Eleazer and Carmen.

Minutes later, four grey robed figures appeared in the clearing. I knew that the most powerful one of them was deceptively small. She looked like a child but had powers that made her feared amongst all the vampires.

"Hello, Carlisle. Aro sends his greetings to you and your coven." Jane said with a smirk.

"Please tell my old friend I said hello. To what do we owe the honor of a visit from the Volturi guard?"

Jane looked annoyed to be questioned. "We were on our way here to take care of the newborn situation. The murders have garnered too much attention."

"Well, as you can see we have already taken care of that."

Jane looked around the clearing at the small bonfires and the piles of ashes. "That is a shame. We do so like a fight."

Her twin brother Alec looked at our only captive.

"We see that you have caught Maria."

She saw her opportunity and cried out to the robed figures. "Please, I did nothing wrong. They attacked me and my traveling companions."

Jane tsked her. "Really, do you think us that naïve? We followed your trail of destruction from California, to Seattle and now to this forsaken little town. We know exactly what you were up to. Aro wants to send a message to our people; newborn armies are not acceptable."

Jane looked back at the mountain of a man behind her. He was even bigger than Emmett. "Felix," she sang his name.

"Wait! I have valuable information…."

Shit, I knew what she was going to say. She was going to tell them about the wolves. To my great relief, Jane ignored her. She tilted her head towards Maria and Felix came forward with two guards. Kate and Carmen released Maria and the two guards took their places on each side of her. Once they had her arms restrained, Felix came up to her and twisted her head off like it was a screw cap. He smiled in satisfaction and threw her head on one of the fires.

Jane scanned the clearing and then addressed Carlisle. "I'm afraid there is another matter that we have to deal with. It seems that Edward has been indiscreet."

"What do you mean?"

"Come, Carlisle. Don't play coy. Do you think we can't smell the human? I'm afraid that Tanya was quite the scorned lover. She let the cat out of the bag on your pet."

Kate gasped. I could see that she was shocked that Tanya had betrayed us.

"Stop hiding your human. I know Aro would want a look at what you were so willing to put yourself at risk for."

"And what exactly did Tanya say?"

"Aro saw that your human knows our secret. You know the law. She knows too much. Aro has given you two options out of affection for his dear friend Carlisle. You either destroy her or change her. The choice is yours."

"No!" I exclaimed.

Jane looked pleased. "Then her life is forfeit. If you can't do it; Felix, as you just saw, will be happy to take care of it for you."

Felix smiled in anticipation and took a step towards Bella.

"Wait!" Carlisle shouted. "What Edward means is that Bella can't be changed now. Her father is the town sheriff. If she were changed now there would be too many questions. If we promise to change her, will you leave her alone?"

"You would have to mean it," Alec warned.

"Of course we mean it," Carlisle affirmed.

"Fine." Jane's tone was full of disappointment and impatience. "We'll expect to hear of her change once you have worked out the logistics. Come Felix, I want to go home. I do hate traveling to these backwoods locations."

In a flash of gray, they were gone.

Bella had no color and she was swaying. I put my arms around her shoulder to reassure her.

"Bella, don't worry this is your choice. If you don't want to change or you're not ready to change we can protect you. You don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

"What? Huh? Edward, I don't feel so well…"

Bella slumped forward and I caught her in my arms.

"Bella! Bella!" Her head just rolled back and she didn't respond. I could hear her heart beating but it was slower than normal.


	44. Chapter 44 - Healing

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** Idon't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** I hoped you liked the last chapter. What did you think of the Riley/Callum tie up? I had originally planned to have Callum be Riley. Riley would have been schizophrenic as a human. His parents would have been frantic looking for him because he would be off his meds. I checked and schizophrenia can manifest multiple personalities. As a vampire, the schizophrenia would have still been there and he would have the ability to have two completely different personalities with the Callum one unaware of the Riley one. Each would have had a separate scent. So Edward wouldn't have been able to pick up Riley when Callum was around. Everyone was quick to speculate that Riley was Callum so I went a different direction. I think it worked better this way because it led me to bring in the Maria tie in.

Thank you to the about 15 consistent reviewers. You make my day every time you go out of your way to write a review. I can't say enough how much I appreciate your reviews. We do this for free so that is the only reward we get when we put our stories out there. It tells us whether it is worth the time and effort to write and then post these chapters. Thank you and welcome to the new followers.

A big thank you to my beta, Alicedoubtfire, for the quick turn around and always being a sounding board. She's the best!

 **Chapter 44 - Healing**

 _EPOV_

" _What? Huh? Edward, I don't feel so well…"_

 _Bella slumped forward and I caught her in my arms._

 _"Bella! Bella!" Her head just rolled back and she didn't respond. I could hear her heart beating but it was slower than normal._

Carlisle rushed over and tried to get close enough to check her vital signs but I was in the way. "Let me take a look at her, Edward."

I couldn't move. Why wasn't she responding? Carlisle tried to take her from me but I couldn't let her go. She was my whole world.

"Edward! Let me find out what is wrong with Bella."

I was frozen. Esme brushed my arm. "Edward, sweetheart," she said soothingly. "Let Carlisle check Bella."

Her voice finally broke through. I nodded and numbly and moved out of the way.

I watched as Carlisle examined her. I could hear him do a mental check list that doctors used in emergency rooms to evaluate patients. Airway, breathing, circulation. He checked her airway, he looked at her pupils and then padded her arms, her chest and legs looking for wounds. I read every possible diagnosis that went through his mind as he eliminated symptoms.

I forced myself to think. What could have happened? Then I remembered what Bella said at the plateau. "Carlisle! Check her head. Bella said that she tripped and fell when they dragged her up the trail to the Devil's Plateau. She said she hit her head," I repeated urgently. "Please, check her head!"

Carlisle touched her head and gently felt around her scalp. "Yes, I feel something." Her heart rate had slowed more. Carlisle must have heard that as well. He checked her pupils again and he said, "We need to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible!"

I scooped her in my arms and I carried her as carefully and as quickly as I could to our house so we could drive her to the hospital. I would have ran to the hospital but Carlisle didn't want her jostled. He thought it was safer to drive her. I started to load her into Carlisle's car when he stopped me.

"Edward, we have to let Eleazar and Carmen drop Bella off to the emergency room."

"No! I want to stay with her."

"You can't. We need to find a way to handle this with the authorities."

"Can't we say that we found Bella wandering along the road?"

"It would be too convenient if we found her. No one in Forks knows Eleazar and Carmen."

Carlisle turned to Eleazar, "Could you drop her off to the hospital?"

"Of course, Carlisle."

Carmen turned to me. "Edward, we'll take good care of her. Carlisle is right. We won't be recognized. We can slip away before the authorities can ask us too many questions."

"That's probably the best way to do it. When you drop Bella off at the emergency room, tell them that you were passing through the area when you saw Bella walking on the side of the road."

Carmen picked up the story. "We can say that we have a niece her age and didn't want to leave such a young girl wandering out by the highway by herself so we offered her a ride."

"Do you have any extra ID's with you?"

"Of course."

Jasper handed Eleazer a baseball cap and Rosalie found Carmen a wig. "Put these on and use the alternative ID's if they ask for any identification."

Emmett told them where the security cameras were so they could avoid them as much as possible. He said he would do what he could to erase any trail after they left.

"Try to disappear before her father can get to the hospital. We'll find a reason to arrive not long after you get there."

Emmett laid Bella in the back of Eleazar and Carmen's car and they drove away. Carlisle had to restrain me to keep me from following them.

"I know you want to be there son and you will. Just give them a head start."

Emmett warned, "They'll expect Bella to be able to identify her kidnapper."

Jasper said, "Let her identify Diego. We could place an anonymous tip with the Port Angeles news station that reported on Lauren."

I stood there numbly as the rest of the family worked out a story of how Bella escaped and ended up near the highway. I felt useless but all I could think about was Bella. What if she died? I should have been there. I should have protected her.

"I'll take care of it, Carlisle," Jasper said as he and Emmett went into the house.

"Come on. Let's get to the hospital. Remember, we're in town and I wanted to say hello to all my old co-workers. Then we'll act surprised when we learn Bella is there."

Alice let all the outcomes permeate based on our decision and said, "It's not the best cover but it will work."

We arrived at the hospital not long after Eleazar and Carmen had dropped Bella off and then mysteriously disappeared. The staff were thrilled to see Carlisle and apologized for not having time to talk because a local girl had just been brought in with a head trauma. Carlisle offered his services and they granted him special hospital privileges.

He changed into scrubs and then came back to me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I knew what he was asking.

"Do whatever you have to do to save her, Carlisle."

He nodded. He understood what I was saying.

Carlisle joined the doctor on call. He was able to steer the doctor to a quick diagnose that Carlisle suspected in the clearing. They brought her up for a CT scan and confirmed it. She was swiftly brought to surgery. Carlisle's presence was the only reason I hadn't torn down the door to get to her.

Charlie was called and Leah didn't have to act shocked when she found out that Bella was at the hospital. The whole family was in the surgical waiting room. Charlie looked distraught but Sue was by his side and tried to comfort him. Leah sat beside them. She held the baby and I knew it was more to give herself comfort than the baby. Seth was by her side. He looked older than his years. He was such a good soul. I wished I could have been there to gain strength from their presence. It was killing me but I had to stay out of sight.

A few hours later I sensed Carlisle's thoughts before I saw him. He came to where I was hiding.

"She made it through the surgery, Edward. She's a strong girl. She had a slow brain bleed as I suspected." He explained what they had found, the issues with the swelling and how they had treated it. "We were able to fix it in time but we had to put her in a medically induced coma."

Alice had been right. Had Bella gone with the wolves they probably wouldn't have realized how serious her injury was. She only survived because Carlisle suspected what it was and was at the hospital to guide the on call doctor to the correct diagnosis. They were able to get her into surgery and treat her quickly otherwise I might have lost her.

The doctor that assisted Carlisle was finally delivering the news to Bella's family. There were tears running down Charlie's eyes after the doctor told him that Bella was alive. The doctor explained how they had treated her.

"So, she's going to be alright?" Charlie asked.

The doctor explained about the medically induced coma. "We'll know more once she wakes up. I want you to be prepared, Chief Swan. Your daughter suffered some injury on the back of her head which caused the concussion and the brain bleed. We won't know if she will have some cognitive issues until she wakes up."

"What do you mean?"

"She could wake up and everything is fine. She also could have a range of issues from memory loss to motor skill issues. We just won't know until she is awake. She's young and in good health so we are very optimistic."

A while later, Bella was brought to a room. I wanted to see her but I wasn't able to get into the room because Charlie wouldn't leave her side. Charlie had insisted that Sue take the baby home but he wouldn't leave. Hours later, I finally texted Leah and begged her to find a way to get Charlie out of the room. She had Seth convince Charlie to leave for a bit to check on Sue and the baby. He reminded Charlie that Sue was just out of the hospital herself. Charlie reluctantly left after Leah and Seth promised to stay with Bella. They agreed that one of them would then go help Sue when Charlie came back.

Bella was lying on the hospital bed, hooked up to all sorts of monitors when Carlisle and I walked in. Leah was sitting in a corner on a chair. There were dark circles under her eyes. She stood up and touched my arm.

"I'll give you a moment with her."

I nodded and she left the room. Carlisle looked over Bella's chart as I walked over to the bed. I hated to see her look so vulnerable. She was such a vibrant girl, however, now she looked like a pale ghost of herself.

"Is she going to be alright, Carlisle?" I knew I sounded like a frightened child. I had numerous medical degrees myself but right now I was a scared son that needed reassurance from his father that everything was going to be alright.

"She'll wake up once her body has a chance to heal, Edward. She just needs some time."

I nodded and then stared at her too still form. The antiseptic smells of the hospital overpowered her beautiful scent. I rubbed my thumb rhythmically over her cold hand. I couldn't lose her again. I couldn't face an existence that didn't include her.

Leah came back. We spoke quietly about what happened after the pack had left. Then we just sat in silence beside the bed of the girl that had become so important to the both of us. I lost track of time and blocked everything else but Bella from my mind until a voice roared from the doorway.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Charlie yelled.

Leah jumped to her feet. Charlie stomped over to the bed and tore Bella's hand from mine.

"I heard about Bella and I came as soon as possible," I said quietly.

Charlie looked at Leah accusingly. "Did you contact him?"

She went with our cover story. She nodded.

Charlie turned back to me. "No! You cannot come back into her life. I won't allow it!"

I held my hand out to him in entreaty, "Please, Charlie. I love her."

"Haven't you done enough damage? She was finally in a good place. I won't have you come back into her life and ruin it!"

"Charlie, she was in a good place because Edward has been back in her life," Leah said quietly.

"What are you talking about?"

"Bella met Edward the first week of classes in Portland."

"No! Bella would have said something." He looked at Bella and then at me.

Leah shook her head.

"She's been back together with you for months and she never mentioned it to me?" Charlie sounded hurt.

Leah tried to help. "She didn't know how, Charlie. She didn't want you to worry about her if it didn't work out while you were already stressed over my Mom and the baby. She didn't think that was fair to you or to Mom."

"She should have known she could have told me anything. I would have supported her no matter what." He said with tears in his eyes.

"Charlie, I'm so sorry for the pain I caused Bella."

Charlie turned back to me and said viciously, "No, you don't just get to say sorry. You don't know what she was like after you left."

Flashes of Bella went through his head. Bella severely underweight with dark circles under her eyes. Bella with lank hair in clothes that hung from her body staring lethargically out a window at nothing. Bella thrashing in bed screaming in agony in the middle of the night. The pain of seeing how she suffered was more than I could bear. I almost fell to my knees to implore him to stop the images.

"Charlie, I'm sorry." I begged. "I swear I didn't want to leave her. You have to believe me that I never stopped loving her. We were so young and we got serious so quickly. My parents were worried about us both when they found out that Carlisle had to change hospitals. They thought a clean break would be better. They thought we were too young to try to do a long distance relationship."

"It's true Charlie," Carlisle said. Charlie looked shocked that he hadn't noticed Carlisle in the room. His whole focus had been his rage at seeing me beside Bella's bed. Carlisle continued. "We didn't realize how deep their feelings were for each other. We thought that with time and distance they would get over each other. I guess that didn't happen for Bella and I know it didn't happen for Edward. He was a ghost of himself while they were apart. He only came back to life when he saw Bella again in Portland."

"I can't tell you how much I thank everything I hold sacred that I found her again the first day on campus. I explained everything to Bella and while it took some time she said she has forgiven me." I looked to Carlisle. "She has forgiven all of us. I hope for the sake of her happiness, you will give me another chance. If you do, I promise I will never hurt her again. If you can't forgive me, have enough mercy to let me stay with her until she wakes up."

Charlie looked torn. I knew he was innately a good person. I could hear his thoughts as he thought about Bella and how she felt about me after I left. Deep down he knew if what Leah said was true that Bella would want me here.

"I won't stop you from staying here with her but I'll reserve judgment on everything else until I have spoken to her."

"That is more than fair."

After that, we silently resumed our vigil beside Bella's bed.

I had been staring at Bella for the last twenty four hours waiting for a tell-tale sign that she was waking up. Charlie had finally gone home with Leah. She convinced him to let me take the night shift so I finally had her to myself. The doctor had decreased the medication that had kept her in the induced coma. The first few hours I spoke to her. I told all of the things I wanted to do with her if she would just wake up. I wanted to show her the world. I wanted to take her to England so she could see the settings of some of her favorite books. I wanted her to see the beauty of the Greek Isles. I wanted to walk with her around the remnants of ancient Rome and point out all the places we had learned about in the class we shared.

The next few hours I begged her to wake up. I told her how much I needed her. How I was lost without her. I needed her to bring light and laughter into my life. When she still hadn't stirred I got angry and told her what I would do if she didn't wake up. I threatened to go to the Volturi and ask them to end my existence. Carlisle overheard me.

"Edward! Stop. She just needs a few more hours to let the medicine work its way out of her system. Her last scans looked very good. She's going to wake up."

I nodded to my father. Time never seemed so slow. I sat quietly beside the woman I loved and waited. I held her hand and waited. I stared at her beautiful face and waited. At dawn, my patience was finally rewarded. I detected a micro movement around her eyes. Her eye lashes gave a slight flutter and then another. A few seconds later her eyebrows pulled together and she gave a little grimace.

"Bella?"

She tried to open her eyes but it seemed to be a struggle. Finally, her beautiful brown eyes opened. She looked confused and disoriented.

"Where? What?"

She lifted her arm and looked at the IV and then around the room. She grimaced. "Crap. Another hospital room."

"Hello, beautiful girl. How are you feeling?" I said softly and then leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"My head hurts."

I pulled back and laughed. If I could have cried there would have been tears in my eyes. "Yeah, that's what happens when you fall on it."

"You are so not funny." Her brows furrowed. "Is it finally over?"

That was a loaded question. I grabbed her hand and ran my thumb back and forth over it in a soothing gesture. "What do you remember?"

"I remember the fight. I remember the Volturi giant killing Maria."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, I remember that Jane told you that you had to change me or kill me."

Her eyes widened at the memory and suddenly tears filled her eyes. "You told her no!" She tried to pull her hand out of mine to put distance between us.

Then I realized what she must be thinking.

"No! Bella, I didn't say no to changing you. We told Jane that if we changed you right then it would cause a problem because your father was the town sheriff. It could bring too much attention that we couldn't control. We told them we would have to plan it out better so your disappearance wouldn't raise too many questions. They left satisfied." I hoped that reassured her.

She didn't look happy. Maybe she was worried that we would pressure her to change?

"Don't worry. You don't have to change if you don't want to. We can hide you. We can keep you safe."

Then she looked hurt and confused. "You don't want to change me?"

Why was this so hard? I didn't want tell her that I almost had Carlisle change her. I was glad that it hadn't come to that. I wondered how to make her understand?

Finally, I said, "I want you to make your own choice. Something none of us got to do. Something you keep telling me is your right. Look, I would love to have you by my side forever. But only if that is what you want. You came back here and you had a chance to hold your brother in your arms. I think you have a greater appreciation for everything you will have to give up now. I don't want you to have regrets."

She started to say something but I stopped her. "Bella, this isn't a decision you need to make right now. You have had a serious head injury. You need to rest. You need to get better and get back to some semblance of normal life before you think about making such a major decision."

"And the Volturi?"

"Don't worry about the Volturi. Time doesn't mean the same to them. For them decades are the equivalent of your month. You'll have time before they will remember to follow up on your change."

I could tell she didn't believe me, but for the moment, she dropped it.

XXXX

The next day, Leah was sitting with Bella so I took the opportunity to find Carlisle and check when she would be released.

I walked down the hallway and I smelled _him_ before I saw him.

Jacob Black had grown since the last time I had seen him in person in high school. I knew that from the memories of the wolves and Leah but it was different seeing the changes in real life. He was a boy when we had lived here and now he was an oversized man.

Sam had ordered him to sit out from the newborn fight. Sam had been worried about Jake's emotional state and he didn't want to take a chance of putting us together with both of our emotions running high. I could pick up anger that he was excluded then I saw flashes of thoughts of Bella that went through his mind. I wanted to rip out his throat for even thinking about her. She was mine and he wasn't worthy to even picture her. It took all my self-control to keep my distance.

I went to pass him but his words stopped me. "How's Bella?"

"I can't believe you have the nerve to show your face here."

"Look, I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

"Do you really expect me to think you care?"

"Look, bloodsucker. She and I were friends once."

"Oh, I know all about what a good friend you were."

I saw the flashes of regret go through his mind. Then there were flashes from their innocent friendship to when it grew into more.

"You are a fool. Do you know what you discarded?"

Jake looked uncomfortable but stayed silent.

"You had everything that I have ever wished for. Bella loved you. She gave herself to you. I know all about your insecurities. Did the others tell you about my gift? I can read your minds. Thanks to your pack mentality, I have read _all_ your minds. There are no secrets in the pack are there, Black? I know exactly how much pressure you put on her. Then when she finally gave in, you dumped her. You didn't even have the decency to explain yourself."

 _He doesn't understand about imprinting._

"I know about imprinting."

"Stay out of my head, leach!"

I ignored his insult. "Imprinting doesn't justify your actions. You were a coward. You didn't deserve her."

"And you do?"

"More than you. She carried your child and you threw her away without a second thought. You made her face the scorn of these small minded idiots. You made her a joke."

 _It wasn't like that. I had to think of Vanessa._

"I would have given my soul, a soul that sweet girl has finally convinced me that I possess, to have been able to give her a child. You didn't care enough to make sure they were safe. You knew what threats were out there and, yet, you didn't fight Paul when he wanted to pull back the patrols. You didn't protect her or your child. Then when she lost the baby protecting one of _your_ imprints your reaction was to tell her that 'maybe it's better this way'. How could you rationalize the loss of your own child that way? Bella is right. I'm not the monster, you are."

He just stood there and took it.

"Well I hope you find that your imprint was worth it. I doubt it." I tapped my finger to my head. "Remember, I've seen the replay of the Vanessa and Jake show through the thoughts of the other wolves. I know she wants to move away from the reservation. She misses living in 'a real city'. We both know that your loyalty to the pack won't allow that. Vanessa doesn't strike me as the 'suffer in silence' type. Good luck with that, mutt."

Xxxxx

BPOV

I had been in the hospital for a week and a half and I was ready to start climbing the walls. Edward was sweet. He stayed with me every day and snuck into the hospital after visiting hours. But I wanted out.

Carlisle said he was happy with my progress. My motor skills and reflexes were assessed and declared normal. I didn't seem to have any memory loss. I wanted to be discharged but Edward agreed with Carlisle that it made more sense to err on the side of caution and stay in the hospital just a little longer.

I had a parade of visitors. Leah and Seth took turns keeping me company. Charlie popped in before and after shifts. Sue even brought the baby in to visit. Sam visited with Emily and their son. Then Quil brought Claire and Claire brought her teddy Rufus.

"Quil said you needed him again." She placed him in my arms with a sigh. I wanted to laugh. She had evidently caught on that I was in the hospital an inordinate number of times and feared that her teddy bear would have to be loaned out on a regular basis.

"Oh, sweetie. Thank you. Rufus is a very special bear. Are you sure you want to leave him with me again?"

"Yes. He'll help you get better quicker so you will come home and have a play date with me. I've missed you."

I squeezed her little hand and said, "I've missed you too. It's a date, sweetheart."

I looked at Quil. "Claire-bear, why don't you sit over there and color a picture for Bella."

Claire sat at the chair near the window and took out her coloring book and crayons from her bag. She hummed as she colored.

"She's a special little girl."

"Yeah, I'm lucky. How are you feeling?"

"Better. I'm ready to get out of here. Will you tell everyone in the pack how grateful I am that they fought?"

"You don't need to say thank you." He looked at Claire as she colored her picture and then turned back to me. "We owed you. Even if we hadn't we still would have helped. They were a threat to all of us."

"Edward said you didn't lose anyone?"

"No, we were lucky. Paul came close but Edward saved him. One of the newborns had him around the waste and was about to crush him when Edward pulled the vampire off of Paul. He had some severe injuries. The vampire broke some ribs and his arms. He started to heal before they were set. Dr. Cullen had to break them again so he could reset them properly. Paul was lucky the doc was there or he could have had permanent damage."

That might explain the flowers that Paul had sent to the hospital. All they said was, 'I'm sorry. Paul'.

"I'm done!" Claire said and ran over to the bed. "Here." She had colored a picture of Belle and the Beast from Beauty and the Beast.

"See, that's you Bella."

"Thanks, Claire. I love it. I'm going to put it right over here so I can look at it."

Claire smiled and grabbed Quil's hand. He looked down at her. "Why don't you pack up your stuff and we will let Bella rest." She put her stuff back into her bag and they said goodbye.

"Well, it looks like it's just you and me, Rufus." The bear didn't have anything to say in reply so I flipped channels for a while. I wished I had a book to read. Day time television was nothing but pharmaceutical commercials and bizarre talk shows. My heart skipped a beat as Edward walked into the room. He smirked as he heard the heart monitor beep faster as he approached the bed. The machine was like a frigging lie detector. I couldn't help my reaction and he knew it. He was so handsome. No matter how many times I saw him I was still amazed that he loved me.

He leaned over and kissed my forehead. I was hoping for something a bit lower but he treated me as if I was made of spun glass. The beeps increased as I grabbed his shirt and pulled him down so I could reach his lips.

"Hey, hey. None of that. You are still recovering."

"I promise, more of that and I will recover faster."

He laughed but straightened up and then sat on the side of the bed. He stared at the bear. "Cute teddy."

"Claire was here with Quil. She thought Rufus would make me feel better."

"That was nice of her."

"When do I get to blow this Popsicle stand?"

"Soon. Let Carlisle do his job. He'll know when you can be released."

"I passed all his tests. They don't think my brain is scrambled. Any psychological issues were probably there before I took this blow."

"That is not funny."

"It's a little funny. And I'm not kidding."

"And what does that mean?"

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to laugh."

"Of course not. Tell me."

"I've heard your voice when I've been in danger in the past."

He didn't say anything.

"See, I knew you would think I was crazy!"

"I don't understand."

"After you left Forks, I missed you so much," I said slowly. I wasn't telling him this to hurt him. He needed to understand the context. "You took everything away that I had of you. There were no pictures, no mementos. No one spoke about you at school. Charlie wouldn't even say your name. I started to question whether I had dreamt you. Remember, I told you that Jake tried to teach me to ride the motorcycles we rebuilt?"

His grimaced at the mention of Jake's name. "Yes?"

"Well, it wasn't the most successful lesson. I lost control of the motorcycle as I took off and that is when I heard your voice for the first time."

"My voice?"

"Yes. You tried to stop me. I was so shocked that I hit the gas instead of the break. I went over the handlebars and hit my head. See. This isn't the first knock I have taken to my head."

"Hopefully, it will be the last."

"Well, that's when I realized that if I did something dangerous, I could hear you. But it was more than that. For the first time in months I could remember you more clearly. I needed that clarity. So, I went looking for danger like an addict trying to get their fix. Only your voice was my drug."

"Bella, what the hell did you do?"

"Cliff diving."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Now I knew he was upset. He rarely cursed around me.

"Nope. Cliff diving pretty much went the same way the motorcycle lesson went. It wasn't totally my fault. The jump was successful. I just hadn't anticipated the waves. I was lucky that Jake was nearby. He fished me out and read me the riot act. But I didn't regret it because it worked. I heard you again."

"You were risking your life to hear me….?"

"I missed you." What more could I say.

"Bella, I'm so sorry."

"I know. That's in the past. Jake made me see reason. I stopped putting myself in danger… intentionally."

"So you didn't hear my voice again?"

"Not until I spoke to Riley. He was insane." I had already told him the story that Victoria had spun for Riley the day I woke up. "Victoria had twisted the truth to fit a narrative that she used to control Riley. When I poked holes in her story I heard your voice warning me not provoke him. Don't you see? Even then you were there trying to keep me safe even if it was only my subconscious."

"Bella, I love you."

"I love you too."


	45. Chapter 45 -Explanations And A Request

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** Idon't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N:** Thank you to all the new followers and to my consistent reviewers. I can't say enough how much I appreciate your reviews. We do this for free so that is the only reward we get when we put our stories out there. It tells us whether it is worth the time and effort to write and then post these.

Thank you as always, to my beta, Alicedoubtfire.

 **Chapter 45 – Explanations and a Request**

They finally discharged me from the hospital. I still had some bouts of nausea but I was ready to leave. I had to take some anti-clotting and anti-seizure medication so I wasn't allowed to drive. I had been home for two days when I approached Charlie.

"I want to visit Lauren's parents, Dad."

"I don't think that is a good idea."

"I missed the funeral. I feel responsible."

"This wasn't your fault. It was just Lauren being in the wrong place at the wrong time."

I knew it was more than that.

"I need to pay my condolences."

He sighed. "Fine. But I'm going with you."

The next day I sat in the formal living room of Lauren's parent's house. Her mom looked a mess and I couldn't blame her. No parent expects to bury a child. Her father sat to his wife's side in stoic silence.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Mallory. I wished I could have gone to the service."

"We understood, Bella. You were in the hospital."

"I just wanted you to know how sorry I am about Lauren."

"We know, sweetheart. All you girls were such good friends back in high school."

I didn't disabuse her. Lauren wasn't a great friend but she didn't deserve to die.

"Could you tell us what happened? We only know that someone tried to grab her when she was using the walking trail. They think it was some type of human trafficking ring?"

My stomach clenched. Jasper's anonymous tip to the news outlet had worked. Lauren's murder during an attempted abduction had been linked to a sex trafficking ring. I hated to lie to this kind couple. But I had to tell the story that we had all agreed to after I woke up. So, I told her what I had told the police. Since I was involved, Charlie had to recuse himself from the case. The governor put some Port Angeles detectives on it.

I had told them that I had seen Lauren by the walking trail when I had walked out to my car after I had left the hospital. I went over to talk to her. There was an SUV parked nearby. I was about to say hi to Lauren when a man jumped out of the SUV and grabbed Lauren from behind. I yelled as she struggled with him. I ran over to try to help. We hadn't realized there was another person there. His partner attacked Lauren as the first kidnapper struck me. They blind folded me and took me to some abandoned house. I heard them argue about what to do with me. I lost track of time because of the blow to my head. I didn't know how many days that they held me at the house. At some point they loaded me back into the SUV. I told her that they drove around with me for hours. The guy that was in charged was angry that his partner screwed up and had killed Lauren. He threatened the other guy and they fought. The second man grabbed the wheel and the car went out of control. I hit my head again and blacked out.

When I woke up I could see that the car had skidded off the road into the woods and crashed into a tree. The two men were slumped over in the front seat. I got out of the car and tried to get away before they woke up. I hid in the woods. I was cold and stumbled around the forest. I had a hard time staying awake and I thought I blacked out a few times. I finally heard cars and followed the sound until I found the road again. I walked parallel to the road. A car saw me and stopped and asked me if I needed a ride. I asked them to take me to Forks and the next thing I remembered was waking in the hospital.

"Thank you for trying to save our little girl."

"She was really the hero. She fought back and tried to save both of us. I'm sorry I couldn't help her."

"At least you were able to get away. You were able to give a description of the car and the men to the police." Mrs. Mallory turned to Charlie. "We're grateful that you were able to find the men who did this."

At Edward's suggestion, I had given the police a description of someone that looked like Diego. He said it would fit with any security footage that the police might find at gas stations or toll booths between Seattle and Forks. Emmett and Jasper had moved the stolen SUV, they crashed it into some trees off the highway and had stolen two unknown male bodies that were the right age from Seattle morgues. They torched the car and the bodies and then made an anonymous tip to the state police. The police matched the burned out vehicle to the police report in Seattle as well as the BOLO from Forks which included my description. There wasn't enough left of the bodies to make a positive identification. There was nothing from the crime scene to match DNA to so the case was closed.

The wolves that were left to guard the reservation caught Diego and Bree on their land. The vampire that killed their daughter had been destroyed. Hopefully, that would be enough justice for the Mallory's. I felt bad for Bree but I didn't think she would have wanted to live without her mate.

"You just don't think things like that can happen in a small town like Forks," Mrs. Mallory said with some confusion. "We were worried about her when she moved to the big city to try modeling and then to Portland for school. We never thought something like that could happen here."

She started to cry and I took her in my arms. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Mallory. I hope you know how much Lauren loved you both. She talked about you all the time at school. I know she was looking forward to seeing you."

She sniffed a few times as she dried her eyes and tried to compose herself. "At least we got to see her. She was really happy. She said she had met someone at school and wanted us to meet him. Did you know him?"

 _Yes, he was a murdering psychopath._

"No, I never got to meet him. I saw her a few times on campus and she mentioned him. She seemed excited about the relationship. We made plans to get together but school and life got in the way."

Mrs. Mallory nodded. "Thank you for coming, Bella. If you'll please excuse me. I think I need to lie down."

Mrs. Mallory left the room. Mr. Mallory turned to us. "I'm sorry, Sheriff. This has been very difficult on my wife. Let me walk you both out so I can check on her."

We stood up and expressed our condolences one last time and left the house. I climbed into the passenger side of Sue's car and sighed. Charlie squeezed my hand and we drove back to the house in silence.

I hoped my words helped Lauren's mom. I hated that I couldn't do more for her.

Later that night, Seth and I finished the dinner dishes. Leah and Sue were in the new master bathroom bathing the baby. Seth tossed the damp cloth he used to dry the last pot on the counter.

"I need to take a run. Tell Mom and Charlie I'll be at Sam's."

I nodded and walked into the living room. Charlie sat on the couch sipping the last of his beer from dinner. He looked up and patted the cushion beside him.

"Why don't you sit down? You just got out of the hospital and you should rest."

"I'm fine, Dad," I said but took the seat beside him. I dropped my head onto his shoulder. "You should know I have a hard head."

He kissed the side of my head and said, "I'm grateful that you are here and safe. I think you have reached your quota of hospital stays, don't you kiddo?"

"Yeah. I think that if I were a cat that would definitely be life number eight."

"Why don't you do your old man a favor and stay out of trouble for a while."

"I promise I will try."

"If you don't, you will be going back to college in one of those giant hamster balls."

That made me giggle. I knew he would try it if he could.

He sighed. "Bella, why didn't you tell me that you had met Edward again?"

Crap. I knew this conversation was coming but I had hoped I could avoid it a little longer.

I raised my head off his shoulder and turned to look at him. "Dad, it wasn't because I was trying to hide anything from you or that I didn't trust you. You have been an incredible father and I am so grateful that I got the chance to come live with you. I guess I felt ashamed at what I put you through after Edward left. I didn't want to disappoint you again."

"Bell, you could never disappoint me."

"You say that but I know I made so many mistakes. I felt like you had to pay for some of them and that wasn't fair to you. I didn't want you to think I was making another mistake."

He was silent so I continued. "I ran into Edward on campus when the semester started. He was just as surprised to see me as I was to see him. I didn't say anything at first because I didn't plan on seeing him again."

"I'm sure Edward had a different idea."

"Yes," I said ruefully. "He begged me to let him explain why he left me. At first I wouldn't listen. Then Alice got involved and pleaded with me to listen to him."

"Ah, Alice…"

"Yes. Now you know why I didn't stand a chance. They tag teamed me and they wore me down. When I finally let him tell me his side of the story, I found that his heart was in the right place even if I disagreed with his actions. I told him I forgave him but I didn't think we should see each other again. What was the point? There were too many misunderstandings behind us and too much history that he didn't know about."

"You mean, Jake?"

"Yes. I was afraid of how he would react once he knew about what happened with Jake."

"Bella, if he really loved you then Jake and the rest wouldn't matter to him."

I smiled at his vehemence. "You're right, Dad. He didn't care. But that wasn't until later. He asked me to at least try to be friends. He said his family had missed me and Alice didn't want to lose me again. I was wary but I agreed to give him a chance, just as friends."

"Bella, Bella, Bella. I can't believe you fell for that old chestnut. Every guy knows that is what you say when you really want more but you've been sidelined to the friend zone. You say that and then you wear the girl down."

"You mean like you did with Sue?"

He looked surprised for a minute and then smiled ruefully.

"What can I say? It works."

I laughed and then continued. "Edward and I started to spend time together as friends. I guess the old feelings were still there. He convinced me to go to a zoo charity auction that he had to attend for Carlisle. He bid on one of the prizes and gave it to me. It was the naming rights of the first baby hippo born at the zoo."

"Let me guess. Hamilton?"

I knew he would remember. I smiled and nodded my head.

"I'll give the kid credit. He is smooth."

"By the time I realized we were getting serious again, Sue was having problems with the baby and I didn't want to add to your stress. I thought that if the relationship progressed I would have time to tell you after Sue had the baby."

"Bella, you have a tendency to put others' needs above your own. I'm the parent and you are my child. Your needs will always be more important to me no matter what is going on in my life. So please know that you can always talk to me. You don't have to manage me like you had to manage your Mom."

"I'm sorry, Dad. You're right. I should have told you about Edward. Do you think you could give him another chance?"

"He makes you happy?"

"Yes."

"Look Bella, I hated what he did to you. But after what I saw at the hospital, I can't argue that he loves you or that you love him. I won't stand in your way. But if he hurts you again, I will not hesitate to track him down and put a bullet in him. I know where to do it and how to get away with it."

"Point taken. I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, Bells."

"Speaking of your Mother, you better call her or she will follow through with her threat to get on a plane to see you." Renee had been on a cruise when I was admitted to the hospital. By the time Charlie was able to reach her, I was awake. I begged him to downplay what had happened. Charlie had been able to keep my name out of the news. The last thing I had needed was Renee, Charlie, Sue and a new baby all under the same roof trying to 'help' me. Charlie reluctantly agreed after I promised I would fly out and visit her during spring break.

"Crap. You're right. I better call her."

Xxxx

The next day I gave William his bottle as Edward watched. Charlie had granted Edward limited visitation rights to the house. They weren't friends but he didn't shoot him. I took that as a positive sign.

Edward had a fascinated expression on his face as he watch me with the baby.

"What?"

He looked surprised at my question.

"I'm sorry?"

"You look like you never seen a baby being fed."

"Well, I really haven't. At least not up close."

He moved closer.

"I had no siblings. Any relatives wouldn't have fed a child in public when I was growing up. That wasn't done in polite society. After I was changed, I didn't have many opportunities to be around children."

"What about when you were a doctor?"

"I attended medical school multiple times but I never went through residency. I wasn't sure I was strong enough to be around blood like Carlisle."

"So you've never held a baby?"

"Never."

"Well, come here. Here's your chance."

He looked uncertain which I thought was endearing.

"Are you sure Sue and Charlie will be alright with this?"

"Does he make you hungry?"

He gave me a scathing look. I think it was the same one that he gave me on the day he had caught the bunny. I had only said it because I had more faith in his self-control than he did.

"Edward, stop being a chicken and come here."

He looked nervous, which only made him look more adorable. I patted the seat beside me and he finally sat down. He stiffened up as I passed him the baby. That was saying a lot because the man could become a statue. I adjusted his arms and showed him how to support William's head. I leaned back and took him in. My goodness, he looked good with a baby in his arms. It cried out to everything feminine in me. I was sad for a second and then forced the feelings away. I let myself enjoy this moment with him.

He sniffed and then said, "I see what they mean about the smell of a baby. It is quite unique."

William started to fuss so I handed Edward the bottle and showed him how to tilt it so there was no air. William latched on to the nipple and sucked with gusto.

"Oh, wow!" Edward smiled down at the baby.

"What?" I said. Edward dislodged the bottle which made William open his mouth and squint up his eyes in protest.

"Quick. Put the bottle back near his mouth before he cries."

Edward readjusted the bottle and William quieted down again completely focused on his meal. Edward continued. "I picked up something as soon as he got his bottle."

"You can hear his thoughts?"

"Not his thoughts in words; just abstract concepts along with a sense of a feeling. I don't really know how to describe it. I can tell you that when you took the bottle out of his mouth there was a red color and unhappiness. And when you put the bottle back in there was a change to like a green color, an image of Sue and then contentment."

"Huh."

Edward stared down at the baby and said quietly. "He's really cute, isn't he?"

"I think so, but I may be biased. We'll see what you think of that baby smell in a little while."

"What do you mean?"

"After he eats you can expect a dirty diaper. With your super sense of smell you might change your mind about him. I thought Seth was going to throw up the first time he caught a whiff."

The baby finished the bottle and Edward handed him back. I put William against my shoulder and rubbed his back until he gave a belch. It made Edward laugh which made me laugh. The babies eyes drooped and he fell asleep against my shoulder.

Edward gave me a sad smile. "I wish I could give you that."

He had looked so good with a baby in his arms. I couldn't stop myself when I said, "I wish I could give you this as well."

"Bella, are you really alright?" He asked quietly.

"I won't lie. It was hard. Really hard to walk into that hospital room the first time. I was afraid it would bring up all the old feelings again. I was afraid I would resent Sue and Charlie. I was afraid that I wouldn't feel anything for the baby or if I did I would resent him."

"That's a lot of afraid."

I smiled ruefully and then continued.

"When I woke up in the hospital after Victoria; at first, I thought it was the pain that woke me. Then out of habit, my hand went to my stomach and I knew. It was the profound sense of emptiness that woke me up in that hospital bed. It wasn't long before nurses shuffled through the room. They wouldn't make eye contact. They wouldn't answer any questions. Finally, the doctor came in. I had to sit there numbly as he told me that they did everything they could but they couldn't save the baby. It was too young. Then I had to hear him say that the scarring was so severe that I wouldn't be able to have another child."

"I felt like God was punishing me for not being happy when I first found out that I was pregnant. Then as it sunk in, I felt like I was less of a woman because I couldn't have more children. I didn't even know that I defined myself that way. Children were something that were just supposed to happen in some distant future. But when the doctors told me that couldn't happen I realized that empty feeling was never going to go away."

"The hospital suggested I get counseling or join some support group. I didn't see the purpose. I didn't want to be the sole griever surrounded by a bunch of grieving couples. I felt so alone. The father of my child was relieved that the baby was gone. I felt responsible for how I lost the child. I couldn't tell Charlie what really happened. I thought that the whispers were bad when I was pregnant but it got worse after I lost the baby. People were uncomfortable around me. They didn't know what to say. They treated me like a hand grenade that could explode at any moment. I took off for a few days to get away from it all. Charlie freaked out and thought I went missing. I was depressed and I hated what I was putting my father through. So, I jumped at the chance to stay with Renee. I knew that I needed a change of scenery."

"And did it help you forget?"

"It didn't help me forget. I'll never forget. It helped me cope. A big part of that was Leah. She forced me to deal with my feelings. She understood what I was feeling. She's going to kill me for telling you this but she said that once she started to phase, her periods stopped. She questioned what that meant for her and how she felt about herself as a woman. We talked it through. When she questioned herself I immediately started to argue with her and she laughed at me. It helped me realized that I wasn't defined by this loss. She gave me a couple of months to grieve. Then she had enough. When I would have a bad week, she wouldn't let me wallow. She forced me to live again. I owe her a lot."

" _We_ owe her a lot."

"We do," I agreed. "Leah and I were finalizing our move back to the west coast, when we found out Sue was pregnant. Mom did _not_ take that too well. I think she was jealous. I got the impression that Phil is not that interested in kids. Anyway, I said the right things to Dad and Sue when they shared the news but I wasn't sure how I really felt or how it would be when I actually saw the baby. I even thought of coming up with some excuses on why I couldn't visit after the baby was born. But like I told you on the phone, once I held him that first time he was his own unique person to me and I just fell in love with him. I didn't feel what I didn't have; I was just happy that he was a part of my life."

He kissed my head careful not to disturb the baby. "You have a good heart, Bella."

I shrugged the compliment off. "It doesn't mean that I won't be sad that this won't be part of my life but I'll have you and that is more than I ever expected. In a way, I'm no different than Rosalie. She can't have children because by an accident of fate she is a vampire. I'm human but I still can't have children because of an accident. That is just fate."

XXXXX

EPOV

It was our last day in Forks. Leah, Emmett and Rosalie went back to Portland ahead of us. Leah couldn't miss any more classes without getting an incomplete. Carlisle spoke to Bella's professors and they let her attend the lectures by skype. She kept up with her assignments from Forks so she wouldn't lose the credits. Carlisle had finally given Bella the all clear to travel and go back to school. She asked me to take her to our meadow before we left. We were lucky it was an unseasonably warm day. I hadn't been back since our senior year so I was more than willing to give in to nostalgia. I took it slow through the woods. I didn't want to jar Bella. She kept urging me to go faster but I didn't give in. She was much more adventurous now than she was all those years ago. I liked that about her.

I broke through trees into a clearing and placed Bella on the ground of our meadow. It was the end of fall so the grass looked dead and there wasn't a wild flower in sight. Soon it would be covered in snow. The fall foliage didn't detract from the specialness of this spot. This was our place. This is where we declared our feelings for each other the first time. This is where we explored being in love just like any other typical teenagers.

Bella spread a blanket on to the brown grass and patted the ground. I could tell by the look on her face that she wanted to explore being in love again in this place. It had been weeks since we had been intimate, so I was more than willing to accommodate her.

Charlie had kept watch over Bella like a momma bear. I hadn't been able to sneak in through her window with Seth playing guard dog. I wanted to smack the smirk off his face when he wished me goodnight each evening.

"It looks different," I mused as I sat down beside her.

"It's weird to think we really weren't together that long here in Forks. We never experienced a fall or a winter here. We've never had a Christmas together."

"I have a lot to make up for."

"Don't think of it that way. Think of it as experiences we have to look forward to."

"Well, I'm looking forward to spoiling you at Christmas. I expect you to accept each gift graciously."

"All I want for Christmas is you."

"You are too forgiving, Bella."

"Well, I'm not going to be if you don't hurry up and kiss me."

I didn't have to be told twice. I kissed her lips and worshipped her body and made love to her in the cathedral of our meadow. When Bella laid her head on my chest with a contented sigh, I was a happy vampire.

"We never did that here before!"

"I wish we had. It would have made high school more bearable."

Bella shivered so she grabbed her clothes and dressed. "I think we scared some small animals."

I felt so content I didn't want to move, but I didn't want to be the only one without clothes so I dressed as well. "Yes, but now we have marked this spot as ours and they know to beware."

Bella laughed and laid back down on my chest. She kissed my neck a few times which made me think we wasted time getting dressed. I was more than willing to use my vampire speed to undress us again.

Bell seemed to have another idea. She propped herself up and looked down at my face. I knew what she was going to bring up based on the intense expression on her face.

I sighed. "Bella, we don't have to talk about that now."

"No, I'm ready to talk about it. This is the place we should talk about it. This is where it all began."

"Fine, but I want you to know that if you decide you want to stay human, I will stay by your side and I promise the Volturi will never find out. If you decide you want to change, then Carlisle will change you but only when you are ready."

"I did what you asked, Edward. I thought of what it would mean if I changed. I thought of everything I would be giving up and everything I would gain. I even thought of what it would mean to go through the change."

That was good. I didn't want her to have any regrets.

Bella wouldn't make eye contact and my gut clenched. Finally, she blurted out, "I don't want Carlisle to change me."

I froze and everything went dark. She didn't want to change.

"Edward!"

I didn't move.

"Edward!" Bella said as she got off my chest.

I had to get it together. I couldn't show her how disappointed I was. I thought I wanted her to stay human but hearing that she didn't want to change made me realize how much I wanted her to be like me. But that was selfish.

I sat up and stared blankly into the trees. Out of habit, I took a deep breath. It would be alright. If she wanted to stay human then I wanted her to stay human. I would stay by her side and love her until her last breath and then find my own.

"Edward! That's not what I meant." She said urgently. She got on her knees in front of me and put her hands on me. I took comfort in her touch. "What I'm trying to say is, I don't want Carlisle to change me. I want you to change me."

The relief I felt was overwhelming.

"You scared me."

"I'm sorry. I just meant that it would mean so much more to me if it were you that changed me. When James bit me and his venom started to course through me I wanted to be like you but I hated that any part of him was inside of me. I remembered wishing it could have been your venom."

I was relieved that she would be with me forever but I wasn't sure if I had the control to change her. I wasn't sure I could trust myself.

"Edward, look at me. Think of everything we have been through since James. Could you ever hurt me?"

No! She was right. I had worried about that before we had made love the first time and once we started I had realized I could have never hurt her.

"I trust you. Trust yourself and do this for me."

I knew I couldn't deny her anything. Then a thought occurred to me.

"Ok. I'll change you but I want you to do something for me in return. Something that would mean as much to me as me changing you means to you."

"What?"

"Marry me."

I heard her suck in air.


	46. Chapter 46 - A Wedding

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N 1 –** This is not the end of the story. There is another chapter. After that I have a new story to post so I hope you will follow me as an author so you get the alert.

 **A/N 2** \- I cleaned up the older chapters (mistakes, grammar, first person/third person, missing words, added a few extra things, etc.) and noticed a mistake. I had forgotten that Bella told Edward about seeing him when she did something dangerous back on her birthday dinner when they first got back together. I fixed it in the birthday chapter.

 **A/N 3** – Thank you to everyone that took the time to review the last chapter. Thanks to the new followers and those that favorited the story. A heartfelt thanks to my beta AliceDoubtfire. She had to read this chapter multiple times and without her input I don't think this story would have worked out so well.

 **Chapter 46 – Wedding & Honeymoon**

EPOV

"I hope you are satisfied, Mr. Cullen." Bella said in the car as we drove to the airport.

"Not yet, Mrs. Cullen. But I think you'll take care of that once we get to the plane."

"And exactly where are you taking me on our honeymoon, husband."

I loved the sound of that. "Say that again."

"Husband." She said sexily.

Yes, I definitely liked the sound of that.

"It's a surprise, wife."

"You know how I feel about surprises."

"I think you'll like this one."

It took some effort but Bella had finally agreed to marry me. We waited until Thanksgiving break to tell Charlie. He wasn't happy with the speed but after almost losing Bella himself, he understood my need to commit myself to her.

We agreed to get married over Christmas break, take a short honeymoon and finish the school year before I changed Bella. I didn't want to wait to make her my wife and she didn't want to wait to change. She worried about too large of an age difference between us. I told her that didn't matter but she said she didn't want to be labeled a cougar by the time she was changed. She was also worried that if we waited too long we would have the Volturi on our doorstep.

Alice, being Alice, had the whole thing planned by the time we gave her our news. Leah took our engagement with her usual humor.

" _You're going to make me wear a hideous bridesmaid dress aren't you? You're going to pick a color that makes me look sallow and a style that will only make you look more beautiful. Then you'll tell me, 'don't worry you can always cut it down and wear it again', which we both know is a lie!"_

 _Bella laughed and then pointed at Alice. "Do you really think Alice would let that happen?"_

 _Alice just smiled and said, "I have four words for you. Girls weekend in Paris! We'll find the perfect dress for Bella and you can pick out your dress and I promise it won't make you look sallow. Then we'll have an impromptu bachelorette party. I think the Rolling Stones are going to do a concert there in a few weeks. Maybe we can see if Mick can get you that satisfaction this time."_

Bella told Alice when she thought she wanted to be changed. Alice wanted her to wait to change until her hair grew back from where they did the surgery. Her other hair covered up the spot but Alice said she should wait.

" _You don't want a bald spot for eternity. You also might think about going back to that place that Leah took you before Edward changes you. What was it called? The Eager Beaver Wax and Weaver?"_

Bella had turned red and Leah nearly fell off of her chair in laughter.

" _What? We're talking about eternity. It's important to make sure there is hair where there should be hair and none where it should be bare."_

That set off another round of laughter. Leah finally got out between giggles, _"I think we should needlepoint that on to a pillow."_

" _I say we sell it to the Eager Beaver for their new t-shirt slogan."_

Carlisle sent the Volturi a wedding invitation and a timeline of our plan. Aro was satisfied with Carlisle's plan to change Bella and held no enmity towards his old friend or his friend's coven. The Volturi sent Bella an elaborate jeweled box that was almost more beautiful than its contents. Inside was a thick gold serpentine chained necklace with a diamond the size of a golf ball. Carlisle took one look at it and said _, "I always wondered where the crown jewels disappeared to after John of England pawned them in the thirteenth century."_

The wedding was beautiful. Claire was the first to walk down the aisle in her flower girl dress. It was white with a red ribbon tied around her waist. She skipped down the aisle throwing flowers over her head. She giggled as they rained down around her. Her joy in the simple task brought smiles to the wedding guests. Then she tripped on the hem of her dress and fell to her knees.

"Shit!" She exclaimed. Before anyone could help her, she bounced back up to her feet and resumed throwing the petals in the air as the guests stood in open mouth amazement.

I heard Emily make a mental note to speak to Quil about the language he and the guys used around the little girl. Emmett wanted to adopt the little girl on the spot.

Alice, Rosalie and Leah came next. Each wore a ruby red dress but the cut and style was different to complement each girl's size and figure to their best advantage. Emmett imagined what he would do to Rosalie in the dress once he got her alone after the ceremony. His sexual musings didn't bother me anymore. I ignored as much as I could and made a mental note to try a few of his more interesting ideas if Bella was willing. This one, however, I didn't think they were flexible enough to carry off but I wished him luck.

Finally, Bella appeared at the top of the aisle on Charlie's arm. If I had any breath, I would have lost it. She was stunning in a white gown that was reminiscent of a wedding dress from my youth. I knew who was responsible for that gift. I looked over at Alice and mouthed thank you. She smiled and told me I was welcome in her head.

Charlie walked his daughter up the aisle with tears in his eyes. I saw all the thoughts that flew through his head with each step. He remembered the day she was born, her first step and her first word which he proudly remembered was 'da-da'. To him she would always be the little girl he held in his arms in the middle of the night as he scared away monsters under the bed, soothed bad dreams or nursed her through a cold.

He reached the end of the aisle and paused. I knew he didn't want to let her go. I smiled in understanding. I could see a mix of pride and love for Bella and thoughts of decapitation and matches for me if I hurt her run through his mind.

Jake did one act of kindness for Bella. He made sure she wouldn't lose her father. Leah went to the counsel on our behalf to gain permission for us to change Bella so we wouldn't be in violation of the treaty. She told them that we would have to fake Bella's death so Charlie would be safe. Jake argued that the Counsel should allow Sue to tell Charlie everything. He had the right to know because of William. He knew it would also mean that Bella wouldn't have to hide what she was from him after the change. They refused.

The next day Jake called Charlie to meet him where he and Billy fished.

' _What do you want, Jake?"_

" _I need to show you something."_

" _Jake, I'm not interested."_

" _Please, Charlie, give me a chance. I owe Bella this."_

" _Bella is no longer your concern."_

 _Jake ignored his words._

" _Charlie, do you remember all the stories you heard around the bonfires when you were a kid and hanging out at the reservation with my Dad?"_

" _Of course."_

" _Do you remember the legend of the origins of the Quileute's?"_

" _You mean the story that you are all descended from wolves?"_

 _Jake nodded._

" _Jake, I don't understand why we are talking about a bunch of old campfire stories?"_

" _Humor me, Charlie. I'm trying to explain that the world isn't everything that you think it is," Jake said as he toed off his sneakers._

" _I don't have time for this.'_

 _Jake took off his shirt and unbuckled his jeans._

" _Jake! What the fuck are you doing?"_

" _Charlie, you need to see this so you can understand some things about Bella." In one swift movement, his jeans and boxer briefs were gone._

" _Woh! I do NOT need to see that to understand anything about Bella."_

 _Jake smirked. "Not that. This!" He said with a growl and a shimmer and a horse size russet wolf stood in front of Charlie. The poor sheriff was frozen in disbelief._

 _The wolf inched closer to Charlie until his muzzle was in Charlie's face. He chuffed out a breath of air and a confused Charlie said, "Jake?"_

 _The wolf pulled back the skin around his muzzle and it looked like a grin to the dazed sheriff. He took a step back, did a full body shake with his fur and then trotted back to his clothes. There was a shimmer and Jake was back in his human form._

" _What? How?" Charlie mumbled._

 _Jake put his clothes back on._

" _I know you are confused and you must have a lot of questions. I can't answer all of them. The main thing you need to understand is that sometimes the legends aren't just stories. Sometimes there is an underlying truth to them. You need to remember those legends. You need to keep an open mind so you don't lose Bella."_

" _I don't understand. What does Bella have to do with this? She's with Cullen now."_

 _Jake gave him a probing look as if silently compelling him to make the connection to the legends. He sighed. "I've taken so much from Bella, I can't bear for her to lose another thing. Charlie, she is going to need to change in order to be with Cullen."_

" _Change? You mean she is going to turn into a wolf?"_

 _Jake laughed. "No, she doesn't need to become a wolf. But she does need to change in order to be safe."_

" _I don't understand."_

" _I know. There are things about Bella and her future that she can't tell you. If you try to get answers, she will leave you forever because those answers put you and your family in danger. She loves you too much. She won't put you, Sue or William at risk. She will get out of your life and disappear so you are safe. Someday there will be a knock at your door and some official will tell you that she died of some illness or an unfortunate accident so you won't look for her. But if you are willing to just accept that the world isn't what you thought it was and not ask Bella any questions, she won't have to lie or get out of your life."_

Once Charlie had seen Jake, Sue was able to tell him about Seth and Leah. Then she had to tell him what William's future could possibly hold. She explained what they knew about phasing, when it could happen and imprinting.

" _That's why Jake suddenly broke up with Bella?"_

Sue had nodded and suddenly things made more sense to Charlie. He hadn't asked any further which surprised Sue. She had expected a slew of questions. Instead, Charlie had sat in his recliner and just stared for hours without saying a word. Sue got concerned and called Carlisle. Carlisle and I drove over to make sure he was okay. Carlisle approached the chair but Charlie never even looked up.

Carlisle took his hand to take his pulse and Charlie's first thought was ' _His hand is so cold'._ Carlisle stood close and put his stethoscope to Charlie's chest to check his heart and breathing. I saw that Charlie took the opportunity to really look closely at Carlisle. He took in his pale skin and noticed just how young he looked. He realized that Carlisle looked the same as he had when Charlie had first met him many years ago. There wasn't a crow's foot around his eyes or a grey hair to be seen.

I heard his heart beat a little faster than normal. When Carlisle stood back, Charlie looked at me and then Carlisle again. His heart beat increased again, his eyes widened and I heard _, 'Cold ones'_ in his head. I looked at Charlie in alarm and he knew from my expression that he was right.

He never said the words out loud. He just asked, _"Does Bella know everything?"_

" _Yes, Charlie. Like you she heard the legends and she guessed everything not long after we first met."_

" _She knows what she is getting into?"_

" _Yes, we have explained everything."_

" _You will always lover her and protect her?"_

" _I will protect her with my life."_

And I would. The love of my life stood beside Charlie in her wedding gown and I knew I was the luckiest being in the world. It took an effort but Charlie finally gave me her hand. The guests chuckled at the game of tug of war. I understood his reluctance. I gave Charlie a reassuring look once I had her hand. He wiped his eyes and took his place in the front row beside Sue. She gave his leg a gentle pat with one hand as she held William in a white baby tux in the other.

Bella and I walked the last few steps side by side and faced Reverend Webber. Emmet, Jasper and Seth flanked my side of the altar while the girls stood to Bella's side. Bella turned to hand her bouquet to Leah. I caught a glimpse of the back of the dress and I growled. The dress was simple and modest in the front but as soon as she turned I saw the sheer lace that barely covered her from her shoulders to the edge of the start of her bottom. She was the sexiest woman I had ever seen and Jasper had to stop me from spiriting Bella away before the ceremony even began. Alice must have seen my plan to throw her over my shoulder and find a room to unbutton every one of those tiny buttons until I got to my prize. She mouthed something to Jasper and a calming feeling came over me.

I was able to get myself under control just as Bella turned back to me and took my hand again. A tingle went up my arm as I felt the heat of her loving touch. I let it envelope my being and warm the soul that I knew I had because of her. We turned back to Reverend Webber and he began the ceremony.

As I listened to Reverend Webber's words, a flash of memories also went through my head; the first time I saw her at the school cafeteria, the first time I caught her scent in biology, the first time I snuck into her room while she was sleeping, the first time we kissed, the first time I took her to our meadow, the first time we made love and the moment she said yes that she would marry me. A thousand firsts went through my head and I couldn't wait to experience a thousand more with her as my wife.

We said our wedding vows and exchanged rings. I placed my mother's ring on her finger and gave into my sense of possession. I had taken the center stone from my Mother's setting and had it reset in something more modern. The old fashion cut of the two karat solitaire stone made it sparkle. The first time it shimmered on her finger she giggled.

" _What?"_

" _Nothing." She angled her hand from side to side and let the sun rays catch the stone. "It just reminds me of something?"_

" _What?"_

" _The first time I saw you in sunlight. The ring sparkles like your skin."_

 _I hugged her and then pulled back. "Do you like it? If you don't, you can pick out your own setting."_

" _I love it. It's even more special because it was part of your mother's ring. I hope we will be as happy as they were."_

Jasper swore in my head. ' _You're killing me, Edward!'_ He begged me to dial the emotions back or he threatened to throw Alice over his shoulder and miss the end of the ceremony. I just smiled and held out my hand so Bella could place her ring on my finger.

Finally! She was mine and I was hers in the eyes of God, our families and friends. I couldn't resist. I took her in my arms and kissed her.

"Not, yet!" Reverend Webber protested in a loud whisper.

He cleared his throat and we broke apart to the sound of laughter. Bella's beautiful face was flushed.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. _Now_ , you may kiss the bride."

I grinned like an idiot and dipped her back and kissed her again.

Reverend Webber rolled his eyes and announced, "May I be the first to present Mr. and Mrs. Edward Masen Cullen." The guests laughed and clapped. Jasper and Alice whistled and Emmett made cat calls.

The reception was beautiful thanks to Alice and we had so much fun it was hard to leave. Eleazar and Carmen were there as were Kate and Callum. It really gave Callum closure knowing that Victoria was the vampire that had changed him. He was grateful that he got away from her. It had all worked out for the best for him. It had led him to Kate who he was convinced was his mate. She was the happiest I had ever seen her as she danced with Callum. I think she believed he was her mate as well. They weren't as attached to the human rites as we were. They had been around too long. Callum, however, was new to this life and remembered his human life. Who knows? Maybe there would be a wedding in their future.

Kate's only sorrow was the rift in her family. Tanya was wandering the world with Irina. The family was very upset with her for going to the Volturi. I wasn't sure if we could heal the rift with Tanya. I wasn't sure we would ever risk trusting her again. Certainly not with many of our secrets including the wolves. That would exclude her from our family get togethers with Leah and some of the other wolves in our lives. But we had a lot of time so who knew what the future would bring. Now that Bella was at my side, I was excited about that future.

"May I?" Quil asked with a twinkle in his eye. He didn't wait for an answer. He just danced away with Bella as I scowled at him. He winked and ignored my ire. I knew I had nothing to worry about as Claire ran up to them and demanded to dance in the middle of them. Bella had returned Rufus and took Claire out for a play date as promised. The girls let Quil and I tag along and we ended up at a tea party dressed as princesses. Claire insisted on pictures and Emmett was never going to let me live that down. It never even phased Quil he was so secure in his happiness.

I looked around the room at the other wolves that attended the wedding. Fighting together against a common enemy seemed to have bonded us. The only ones that were missing were Paul and Jake. Paul had spoken to me ahead of time to say that after some of the things he said he thought it would be better if he didn't attend. I knew he was sorry but he didn't want to cast any shadow on Bella's day.

Jake and Billy were in Hawaii visiting Jake's sister and her husband the weekend of the wedding. It was planned that way so there was no awkwardness. I knew from running with Seth when he had phased that Jake had broken from the pack. He was always meant to be the alpha. When Sam ordered him not to speak to Charlie, Jake resisted and something unforeseen had happened. His defiance and his assertion of his own will triggered the separation. He spoke to Charlie and kept Bella's father in her life.

There was another unexpected consequence. It also seemed to have broken Jakes imprint with Vanessa. The ripple effect made the wolves question what they knew of imprinting. No one knew if it was his assumption of the alpha role or his disillusionment with his relationship with Vanessa over her inability to adapt to LaPush and pack life. They had separated for the time being.

Bella and I ran across his path not long after he 'came out' to Charlie. I hated that I felt indebted to the mutt. He asked to speak to her and I had to admit that I was worried about how Bella would react after she had learned that his imprint had been broken. Her words to me weren't what I was expecting.

" _Leah! Oh, crap! I hope this doesn't hurt her."_

Leah? She was concerned about Leah?

" _This might really devastate her when she finds out that Sam might have been able to break the imprint."_

 _I couldn't stop myself from asking, "And you? How do you feel?"_

" _Me? I don't feel anything." She saw my expression and then went on in surprise. "Edward, were you worried that this would make me want to go back to Jake?"_

" _Of course I was worried. I'm so close to having everything I dreamed of with you and then this happens. It's like the other shoe dropped."_

" _Edward, how could you think that what happened to Jake changes anything for us? I love you. I choose you. That will never change. I'm sorry that things didn't work out for Jake and Vanessa but that has nothing to do with us. Nothing will come between us, Edward."_

I finally believed her. When she had looked at Jake, there had been nothing but casual interest in her expression. She had thanked him for what he had done with Charlie and then wished him well. She grabbed my hand and led me to our car. I caught his thoughts as we left and I knew his regrets. When he looked at Bella, he saw the life he could have had with her by his side. A helpmate with the tribe and the pack. A partner that supported him. A life with Charlie and Billy nearby doting on their grandchildren. One phrase repeated in his head. _It would have been as easy as breathing._ A part of me pitied him. He lost Bella, his imprint and his pack.

Quil's dance moves brought me back to the present. He gave Bella one last spin in my direction and I caught her before she could trip. Quil thanked Bella for the dance and walked away with our flower girl. I took Bella back in my arms and we slowed danced to the next song. Embry walked over and looked like he was going to try to cut in. I told him, "Don't even think it." He laughed and asked Alice to dance instead.

They were good men. Carlisle hoped that the pack would let one of our foundations help at the reservation. We felt guilty that our presence had triggered the wolf gene in the first place. We asked if they wanted us to stay away and to our surprise they said no. They understood that Bella would want to see her family. William was part of their family and Bella was part of William's family. In return, we wanted to make sure those effected by our presence had a real chance at life. We offered to set up tutoring programs and scholarships.

Carlisle also wanted to build a clinic on the reservation and offer medical scholarships to anyone from the reservation that wanted to train as a doctor or in the medical field and would commit to working at the clinic for a specific period. He wanted to provide opportunities that would attract the younger generation so they would stay.

The counsel seemed receptive to our offers. They actually saw some good in the fact that the gene was triggered. It brought the tribe closer to their heritage. Those effected by the change took pride in their history and their culture. There was a desire to relearn the old language and traditions. That spread to the other kids that interacted with the wolves. Carlisle had already donated video equipment and suggested that Emily and Sam video some of the elders like Old Quil to document the legends, customs and language. A video record would safeguard their culture and language for future generations.

The cake had been cut, the speeches had been made and Emmett reminded me that we needed to leave for the airport or risk losing our take off slot. We said our goodbyes, went back for second and third hugs and reluctantly got into the car that I had arranged with the car service.

We arrived at the airport with a few minutes to spare to board our plane. We strapped in and the private plane taxied down the runway. Bella looked excited as we watched the airport get smaller as the plane took off. "And the fun starts…now?"

"Oh, I think you'll find, Mrs. Cullen, that the fun starts as soon as the fasten seat belt sign goes off."

She laughed and went back to looking out the window. We reached cruising altitude and a bell chimed in the cabin. I knew that the pilot was about to make the announcement that it was safe to walk around the cabin. I went to her seat with vampire speed and had her out of her seatbelt and over my shoulder before he had the first words of the sentence completed. She squealed in laughter as I walked through the bedroom cabin door. I swatted her lightly on her pert behind and then tossed her on to the bed. I gave her a wicked look and started to unbutton my shirt. She stared at my chest with lust in her eyes as each button was released. She got up on her knees and took over unbuttoning my shirt. Her face was intent as she finished the last button and spread my shirt open as she licked her lips. I didn't have to read her mind to know what she wanted. I was a lucky man.

She kissed her way down my chest. She followed what she called my "happy trail" with her tongue until she reached the top of my pants that blocked any further exploration. She looked up at me with sultry eyes and blew against my skin. That elicited a growl that was quite audible this time. That just made her give me a very satisfied look. She knew she owned me.

I, however, wasn't ready to cede control over to her yet. I had asked her to keep the wedding gown on for the plane ride for a reason. With another growl, I raised her up and set her on her feet and spun her around so her back was facing me. There before me were a hundred tiny buttons. I had been fantasizing about those buttons throughout the ceremony and the reception. My brain allowed for some amazing multi-tasking. I pushed her hair to the side and placed kisses along her neck as I used my vampire dexterity and speed to undo each of those tiny buttons to get to my prize. As I got down to the bottom, I savored the last few. I worshiped her spine with my tongue as I laved her lower back. She moaned and I disposed of the final button.

I stood back up and slid the open dress off of Bella's delicate shoulders. The beautiful dressed pooled at her feet. I slid my hands back down her back and I purred as I saw from behind what the dress had hidden. Her incredible ass was partially covered by the sexiest lace panties I had ever seen. They were more than a thong but less than a panty. I kissed the two dimples above her bottom that teased me. The thing that really made me groan was the sight of her in the garters that showed off her toned legs. I wanted to tear them off but at the same time I wanted to see them wrapped around my waste.

I left the garters alone and I slowly skimmed her back with featherlight kisses and this time I blew softly against her back as I worked my way up. She shivered in delight.

"Edward, please," she entreated me.

I knew what she wanted and I planned to give it to her and more, but at my own pace. I helped her step out of the beautiful dress that I had taken so much enjoyment taking off of her and placed the fallen dress on to the nearby lounge chair. I then turned my wife around so I could see her beautiful face. _My wife!_ I thought in satisfaction. She was naked except for the sexy garters and the lace and silk thong. I think I whimpered.

If I had known what she had underneath the dress I would have never been able to stop myself from spiriting her away from the ceremony. Even Jasper's gift wouldn't have been able to control my lust. She was a goddess and I planned to be her supplicant for an eternity.

I memorized every detail of her beauty. I knew that this was a memory I would replay over and over again in my mind. This was the culmination of every fantasy I had ever had of Bella and our future. She smiled in satisfaction at the heat in my eyes. She held out her hand and I willingly obeyed her call. She pushed my shirt off my shoulders and then worked on my pants.

She fell to her knees and unbuckled the belt. She could see from the bulge in my pants what effect she had on me in that position. She slowly lowered the zipper until I was free of the constraint. She smiled wolfishly as she placed her hands on my hips and she pulled the pants and the boxer briefs down my legs. She held out her hand and I took it as this time she helped me step out of my clothes. They were tossed to the side and she stayed on her knees.

She kissed around my stomach paying special attention to my hip bones. I didn't understand why those drove her so crazy but she told me after Paris that they were such a turn on to her. Something about the 'V' to paradise. She took me in her hand and gave little licks around the length of me. I let her have her way with me until I just couldn't take any more. If she continued what she was doing this would be over before it even began. I took her hands in mine and pulled her back into a standing position. She looked disgruntled, like I just took away her favorite toy.

I laid her gently on the bed and we kissed. She gave me little kitten licks on my lips seeking entrance but we both knew that would have to wait until she was changed. I distracted her by moving down to her breasts. Each nipple hardened as she watched me stare at their beauty. They begged to be suckled and who was I to deny them?

She was damp with arousal and her smell went to my head. It was a mix of freesias and that special essence that was Bella. It called to me. This time it was I that worshiped at her core. I flicked my tongue at the bundle of nerves and watched her thrash her head from side to side as she moaned. She grabbed at my hair and pulled me closer and I gave her everything she wanted until she shuddered.

I came up to lay beside her again to give her a chance to calm down. Then I started over again finding every sensitive part on her body. No spot was too hidden or too taboo. She writhed and called my name. She begged me one more time.

"Please, Edward. Now. I need you inside me now."

I slid into her warmth and it felt like home. I wished I could spend eternity connected to her; one with her. She urged me on with the heels of her feet and I pressed deeper inside. I tried to touch her very essence. I slid out and she cried out and tried to pull me back in. We established a rhythm that only we could hear or feel. With each thrust I told her how much I loved her, how beautiful she was and how happy I was she was my wife.

"I love you, Edward. Please, faster. Oh, god. Yes. Like that!"

Her words spurred me on. I moved faster and she clenched me harder as if to never let me go. I felt her tremble and I knew she was close.

"Come for me, Bella. Come!"

She did. Her body squeezed around me and it made me tumble into my own orgasm.

"I love you. I love you so much," She panted in my ear as her arms and legs clung to my shuttering body.

I pushed back up on my elbows and looked down at the woman that made all my dreams come true. She smiled shyly up at me as she unwrapped her legs. I kissed her forehead. I kissed her eyes. She thanked me with butterfly kisses from her eyelashes. My sensitive skin registered each hair as they fluttered against my lips. It made me harden.

She opened her eyes in surprise.

I smirked at her and made a little movement with my hips. She closed her eyes and arched her body. She had a lot to learn about male Vampires. Besides, it took me a long time to get to this moment of paradise with my mate, I was going to make it last as long as I could.

XXXX

A little over fourteen hours later we arrived at our destination a little worse for wear. Bella had taken a shower and changed into some clothes that Alice had packed for her. She huffed when they gave nothing away as to our final destination. We landed and a car met us on the tarmac as we stepped down from the plane. It felt like we had walked into a steam oven.

"Bom Dia, Senhor and Senhora Cullen. Bem vindo ao Brasil. Welcome to Brazil." A handsome man in a black suit greeted us.

Bella looked at me in wonder. "Brazil?"

I nodded and grinned. Bella looked excited but warm.

"Why don't you go to the car while I deal with customs?"

She didn't have to be told twice. She got into the air conditioned car with some relief. It was summer in Brazil so it was quite hot and muggy. I cleared us through customs and got into the car with Bella as the driver took care of our luggage.

Bella had her face towards the window as we drove into Rio and only turned to me to point something out in excitement. It took over an hour to get through the heavy traffic towards the water. After the fifth pedestrian jumped out of the way of our car I made a mental note to make sure I was with Bella any time she tried to walk around the streets here. It looked like a person played a game of Frogger when crossing a road. The pedestrian did not have the right of way in this country. A horn blasted. I grimaced. Neither did the bicyclists.

The car pulled up to a marina and the driver transferred our luggage to a medium size boat. Bella turned to me. "We aren't staying in Rio?"

"No. We're going out to an island."

I helped her onto the boat and sat her down in a seat near the captain's chair. I checked the engine, the radio and the navigation system and one of the marina workers casted off the mooring ropes. I started the engine and steered the boat clear of the marina.

She smiled and said hopefully, "And the fun starts now?"

I laughed. "No, the fun will definitely start when we get to the island and I get you into one of the bikinis that I'm sure Alice packed for you."

We enjoyed the wind on our faces and the smell of fresh ocean air. The sea was calm so it wasn't a bumpy ride. My wife seemed to be a good sailor. Her hair blew in the wind as she looked out to the horizon. She was so beautiful and she was mine!

"Is that where we are going?" She pointed to a small land mass on the horizon.

"Yes. Welcome to Isle Esme."

"Esme?"

"Yes. Carlisle bought it for Esme for their anniversary."

"An island? A whole island?"

"Well it's not a very big island. Only about 500 square acres."

Bella rolled her eyes at me.

"That's rude, Mrs. Cullen. Don't make me spank you."

She looked startled and then interested for a second. "Hmmm. That does have possibilities, Mr. Cullen."

"Stop. You are distracting me. I don't want to run the boat into the dock. Carlisle and Esme wouldn't be pleased and we might lose our island privileges in the future."

"Fine, I'll be good. For now." She flirted. "Scouts honor." She held up three fingers.

"You were a Girl Scout?"

"Well, I was a Brownie but they sort of kicked me out when Renee gave everyone food poisoning at our first bake sale. That's when I realized I had to learn how to cook."

I laughed. "Come on, help me dock the boat." We tied the boat to the pier and we walked down a wooded path.

"What about the luggage?"

"I'll get it later. First, let me take you to the house so you can freshen up after that long trip."

I held her hand and made sure she didn't trip as we walked along the path. There were solar lights every couple of feet on both sides of the path that lit the way to the main house. The dock had been placed in the deepest area of the island to accommodate a medium size yacht. The house, on the other hand had to be placed at a high enough elevation that it wasn't in danger of flooding during the rainy season and to take advantage of the breezes and the view. The path twisted around and opened up until the house was suddenly in view.

The house was white and multi storied with dark brown high peaked roofs. It looked like something off the island of Tahiti. It had dark brown accents including wrap around decks on each level with large windows to take advantage of the view and the trade winds. The lush tropical greenery that surrounded the house made it look even more exotic. Vines hung down from trees that surrounded the house in vibrant pinks, purples and bright yellows.

"Wow."

We climbed the flight of stairs to the first level of the house.

"You like?" I asked as we stood at the oversized dark wood carved doors.

"I like."

I unlocked the lock and pushed open the door as I said, "Carlisle and Esme said to enjoy it as long as we want."

Then I swept her up in my arms before she could take a step through the doorway. She squealed in surprise and said, "What are you doing?"

"Carrying my bride over the threshold."

She put her arms around my neck and I stepped inside the house.

"Welcome, Mrs. Cullen."

She kissed my lips and said softly, "Thank you, Mr. Cullen."

I reluctantly let her down so she could see the place. The caretakers had been to the island to check on the generators, ensure that everything was clean and in good working order. We had satellite phones to stay in touch with the family. Alice had arranged for the caretakers to stock the kitchen with enough food to last a few weeks. They would stop in once a week to replenish the fresh food and clean the house.

The living room dining room and the kitchen were one giant open floor plan. The ceilings were high and planked with dark wood that matched the floors. The walls were white which offset the dark color of the floors and ceilings and gave a richness to the room. The furniture was dark wood with oversized cushions that looked comfortable and inviting.

The kitchen was a gourmet chef's dream kitchen. The dining room had a table big enough to host twelve. The décor was a mix of Brazilian traditional art and island chic.

"This place is gorgeous!"

"And it is all ours for as long as we want."

I showed her around the house. The second floor had four guest rooms. The third floor had two more guest rooms and the master suite. We agreed to use the guest bedroom on the third floor. It had one wall of sliding glass doors that could be opened to catch the ocean breeze. The bed was an oversize king with a beautiful raw silk duvet in bronze with embroidered flowers. The room was a corner room and had a stone bath tub with Jacuzzi jets and an outdoor shower on the balcony. A wall provided privacy. It looked like a garden retreat. The suite bathroom had another shower and Jacuzzi tub. I left Bella to freshen up and went back to the boat to get the luggage.

I found Bella in the kitchen pouring a drink after I had put the luggage in our room.

"Oh, Bella?"

"Yes?"

"Guess what?"

"What?"

"The fun starts NOW!" I lunged for her and she screamed and took off on a run. I chased her around the room and up the stairs until she let me catch her. We fell to the bed laughing and kissing and officially started our honeymoon.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"So, forever?"

"That's all I'm asking."

 **A/N** – Please leave a review to say what you think of the chapter or the story. They are greatly appreciated.


	47. Chapter 47 - Honeymoon

**Title:** An Unkind Fate

 **Rating:** PG (T)

 **Pairings:** Ultimately Bella & Edward

 **Disclaimer:** Idon't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

 **A/N 1 –** Thank you to my beta, AliceDoubtfire. She has been of invaluable assistance on this journey. Thank you to everyone that stuck through the story and were kind enough to leave reviews. I really hope you all enjoyed it. If you have come to the end and you haven't left a review before, please tell me what you thought of the story.

 **A/N 2** – I am posting a new Bella and Edward story along with this chapter. I hope you will check it out and tell me if the beginning intrigues you enough that you will want to read more.

 **Chapter 47 - Honeymoon**

"Is there anymore pasta in the refrigerator?"

"I think you finished it up last night as a late night snack. Do you want me to put some water on to boil? If you don't mind cheating, there is some bottle sauce in the pantry."

"That sounds great."

I couldn't believe we had been on Isle Esme for two weeks. The time had flown. The first week we barely left our bed. Our only outside contact was when the caretakers came to do the weekly cleaning and drop off fresh provisions.

Bella and I had just come back from a swim at the beach when the knock came at the door. Our caretaker, Gustavo, arrived. He had a woman I had never met before with him. Bella let them in and I stayed in the family room which was the room farthest from any windows. I greeted Gustavo in Portuguese and told him they should act like we weren't there. I pointed to the television and told him we planned to watch a movie.

"This is my wife, Kaure. She will take care of the upstairs while I check on the generators and the exterior."

Kaure looked at me with wide eyes. Her thoughts were too fragmented to get a clear picture but I could tell she was disturbed. She hurried up the stairs and Bella and I sat down on the sectional sofa. We started the movie and Bella cuddled into my lap.

"I should have stripped the beds before she came," Bella said in embarrassment.

"Why?"

"She's going to know what we were doing," Bella whispered.

"Gustavo was told we were using the place for our honeymoon, so I'm pretty sure they know what we've been doing," I said with an eyebrow waggle. "If we're lucky, they'll be done quickly and we can get back to doing it."

Bella gave me a playful slap and cuddled back into my arms. I had seen the movie before, so I paid more attention to Bella's neck than I did to the story unfolding on the small screen. Her scent was intoxicating but it didn't raise my hunger, just my desire. Bella giggled as I kissed and snuggled into her neck. Kaure passed by and saw us. She dropped the laundry she carried and looked at Bella in horror.

Bella scrambled off my lap and put a respectable distance between us. She seemed uncomfortable at being caught necking on the couch by the older lady. She gave an embarrassed smile to Kaure as she straightened her clothing. Kaure looked back and forth between us and muttered something under her breath as she picked up the fallen laundry and scurried to the laundry room.

"What was that about? Did you understand what she said?"

"I think she said libishomen."

"What does that mean?"

"I'm not sure."

Kaure passed by them a few more times as she cleaned the kitchen and the downstairs' bathroom. Each time she gave a concerned look at Bella. I tried to look non-threatening but each time I touched Bella, Kaure became more and more agitated. Gustavo came into the house and Kaure looked relieved. She ran up to him and spoke to him urgently in a low tone but I still heard it. She kept looking back at Bella as if to urge Gustavo to do something. He admonished her and turned to me.

"I think we are finished, Senor Cullen. Please have a nice rest of your stay and call if you want anything special for next week."

Gustavo all but dragged Kaure out the door.

"Well, that was strange."

"Yes. It seems Kaure was very concerned about your welfare."

"Why?"

"She is worried that I'm going to hurt you."

"That's crazy. Where would she get that idea?"

"She somehow knows there is something different about me. All I could get out of her thoughts was some legends she heard that she connected to me."

"What kind of legends?"

"Whatever this libishomen is, it evidently prays on beautiful young girls. I'll have to ask Carlisle if he has heard the term before when he was here. Well she has the young and beautiful part right. You, my lovely wife, are certainly delectable and I do have you at my mercy. So, what do you say to letting me prey on you?"

I lunged for her and Bella ran for the stairs in a fit of giggles. I ran up behind her and threw her over my shoulder, face down, before she hit the first step. I bounded up the steps as she slapped at my bum and laughed out my name. I tossed Bella on the bed. Bella landed with a bounce and then raised up on her knees. I crawled across the bed to her until we both kneeled facing each other. I pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.

"I love you, Mrs. Cullen."

"Not as much as I love you, Mr. Cullen."

"Not possible, wife. I'll have to show you just how wrong you are."

"Do what you have to do, husband."

I smiled at that and then we made a mess of the formerly made up room.

The second week we went into the city. We stayed at the Intercontinental at Copacabana. We walked along the sidewalks that bordered the beaches. We watched teenagers and adults play soccer on the beach and even caught the filming of a telenovela. We had a private tour of the Christ the Redeemer statue after hours. Bella was in awe as we made our way up the winding road to the statue.

"Carlisle likes to come up here when he is town. He said it makes him feel closer to God here."

Bella looked at me curiously. "Do you believe now?"

"What?"

"That you have a soul? That God hasn't abandoned you?"

"Yes. Thanks to you, I do."

"You are such a good man, Edward."

"I want to be, for you."

I showed her around the beaches and the shops near Ipanema. I took her out for a romantic dinner and then hit the local night life. We even caught a samba show one night. Bella got excited when she saw a music celebrity based out of Miami on the balcony overlooking the stage. She was with her son and her husband.

"I swear that woman never ages. She had a hit in eighties when she was in her thirties and she still looks great. Is there any chance that she is a vampire?"

"No. It must be good genetics and clean living. Bella, you have to stop staring. She's worried that you recognized her and is thinking of ducking out early."

Bella pulled her gaze away. "I'm sorry. I have to admit I'm a bit start struck. We heard a lot of her music when I was in Florida."

"What about Mick?"

She giggled. "That's right. I forgot about that."

The girls had unexpectedly run into Mick and his entourage at a fashion show in Paris that Alice had dragged them to in order to look at wedding dresses. One of Mick's daughters was in the show.

I saw the replay of the entire event from Alice. Mick had spied Leah across the catwalk and cornered her after the show was over. Leah, evidently, made quite an impression in California.

" _Leah, it's brilliant to see you. I tried that number you gave me and it didn't work. I think you must have written it down wrong. Tell you what give me your mobile and I'll call mine so we'll have each other's numbers."_

 _Leah had looked dazed as he grabbed her cell phone and called his number._

Bella told me later that she almost lost it when she realized that Leah must have given Mick Jagger a fake number.

" _What brings you ladies to Paris? Wait! Are you here for our show?"_

 _Leah didn't look like she knew what to say. Rosalie saved her._

" _No, we're actually here to do some shopping for my brother's fiancée." Rosalie pointed to Bella. "We are hitting the fashion houses for her wedding dress and trousseau."_

 _Mick had turned to Bella and eyed her up and down appreciatively. "Leah, your friends are as lovely as you are. If you girls aren't too busy, I would like to have you all as my personal guests for our show. I can have tickets sent to your hotel. Where are you staying?"_

" _We're at a place we have on the Isle Saint Louis." Alice gave Mick the address for the courier._

" _Well, it looks like we're going to a concert for your bachelorette party."_

" _Super." Bella had said but her voice had lacked enthusiasm._

She told me later that after her birthday scavenger hunt she had wanted something low key when they went to Paris.

 _Alice had pointed out the silver lining of the event. "Think about how much fun you will have watching Leah dodge Mick."_

After that she was in. She said that they actually had a great time and got some great future blackmail pictures against Leah. Seth had offered her money if she would share. She told him that they might be able to work out some quid pro quo related to William's dirty diaper changing.

"Did you know that he still keeps calling Leah?" She asked with a laugh.

I loved to hear her laugh. She had done a lot of that these last few weeks. She was happy and adventurous. Bella wanted to know what laid beyond the city. She wanted to see the lush tropical hills and the shore that wasn't lined with hotels and high rises. So on an overcast day we took a guided bus tour outside of the city. I told her I would get us a private car tour but she said she just wanted to act like a typical tourist. The tour guide provided commentary to the tourists on the bus directing them to look out of one side or the other as the bus drove past various points of interest. She provided commentary in Portuguese, Spanish and English.

"I don't get it," Bella said.

 _I_ didn't get why she wanted to be on a tour bus in the first place when we could have been in a comfortable car.

"What my love?" I asked but was more interested in how beautiful she looked in her sundress. She had picked up a bit of color from our time on the beach at the island our first week in Brazil. She was stunning. To my annoyance, I wasn't the only one that thought so. The guy that sat two seats down from our row kept staring at her. If he undressed her one more time in his head I might have to kill him. Then I would have to kill all the witnesses. While it might be satisfying, I knew that wouldn't make for a good honeymoon story when we got back to Forks.

"Well, every time the lady points at something she goes into this long explanation. When we passed that field of trees she must have spoken for five minutes in Portuguese and then again in Spanish."

"Yes?"

"But when she got to the English translation all she said was 'banana plantation'."

I had to laugh at her frustration. "Tell you what. How about I translate for you for the rest of the trip."

And I did. For the rest of the ride I whispered the translation in her ear. I knew how sensitive her ears and her throat were. I made sure there was enough air when I spoke to tickle her. She would giggle and I would have to reward that beautiful sound with kisses to her earlobe and then her neck. That just made her giggle all the more. It was a vicious cycle.

The guy from two seats down watched us and had some truly lascivious thoughts. I looked up at him and growled. He went white and stopped staring. That was better, I thought.

I took Bella to the shops. I insisted that she pick up some of the beautiful leather clothing, handbags and shoes. She called a halt after I dragged her into a few jewelry shops. She let me buy her a pair of emerald earrings and then said enough.

"Let's go back to the island."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, we don't have much time left and I'd rather spend it alone on our private paradise."

We spent the next day at the beach swimming in the shallows. Bella saw some porpoises, but they scattered when I came close to her.

"What happened?"

"Even they recognize us as predators. They swim away if we are near."

"Really? Have you ever had the blood from one?"

"I haven't." I was glad I could say that because after the bunny incident, I would hate for her to have visions of me eating 'Flipper'. "Emmett tried a shark once but said he didn't find it satisfying."

We hiked around the island which consisted of me trying to make sure Bella didn't fall down or off of anything. I took her to a cliff at the top most point of the island. There was a small waterfall that fell from it into a lagoon which we swam in. Bella loved standing under the waterfall. She said it felt like a massage.

We were together all the time except the one night I left to hunt on the mainland while Bella slept. There was some small game on the island but I hadn't been in Brazil for a couple of years and I wanted to taste some of the wildlife. I left Bella a note and took the boat back into Rio and then made my way to the outskirts of the city into the mountains.

I had just finished a deer when I caught the scent of a vampire. I crouched ready to defend myself as the vampire approached. He held his hands up and approached cautiously. He was slightly shorter than my six feet and had black hair and red eyes. He looked at me curiously and I read in his mind when he made the connection as he saw my golden eyes.

"You're one of the Denali coven, aren't you? I've heard of you from other vampires but have never met any of you."

"We're related but not part of the same coven. And you?"

"I'm Joham." He looked at me questioningly.

"Edward."

He nodded in acknowledgement. "I've never met a vampire that survives off of animals before. Tell me, is it difficult to maintain that kind of diet."

"It has its challenges, but we find it makes it easier for us to blend in with the humans."

"Yes, I can see that with the golden eyes. I ran across a newborn once and I directed him your way. He had just been changed and abandoned by his sire. He had some issues with our normal food source. Did he find your people? His name was Callum."

So this was the vampire that took Callum under his wing for a short time.

"I only had a general direction to send him," Joham continued.

"Yes, he found the Denali coven and seems quite happy there. He was lucky that you helped him transition."

"These young vampires. They take no responsibility for their actions. The last thing we need is the Volturi to leave their castle in Italy."

I nodded in agreement.

"So what brings you to Brazil?"

I didn't feel comfortable giving him too much information. Something was off about him even though he treated Callum well.

"Just a change of scenery and food variety."

He looked down at the drained deer. "I can't see the appeal, but to each his own."

"Have you claimed this territory?"

"I like to … roam. I have interests throughout the country. You might say I like the chance to lose myself in the back country and interact with the natives."

That gave me a thought. "Then you must have picked up some of the rural dialects." He nodded. "Have you ever heard the term libishomen?"

He laughed. "Yes. It is one of the native's word for our kind." His thoughts were guarded but I caught of flash when I asked him about libishomen. He was amused because he had been interacting with the natives for over a century and it was the name that one of the tribes had given him and it had been spread to the other tribes until it became local legend. "Where did you hear it?"

"Oh, just a woman that caught sight of me one night."

"She must be Ticunan. They are raised on superstition and legends. Well, I'll leave you to your hunting while I pursue mine in the city. Please give Callum my best. Maybe we'll run into each other again."

"Maybe."

I watched him disappear into the clearing. I wished I could have picked up more of his thoughts. I wasn't sure if he was gifted or just cagey. I didn't want to take any chances. After I finished a few more game, I ran back into the outskirts of the city. I double backed around the city a few times to make sure he hadn't followed me back to Rio or back to the island. I just didn't trust something about the stranger and I certainly didn't want him to know about Bella.

She was in the kitchen when I got back from the mainland. I told Bella of my strange encounter with one of my kind when I was hunting.

"Wow, so now we know who helped Callum and the origins of libishomen."

"I wonder if the Carlisle or the Denali's have heard of him before. I couldn't pick up that much from his thoughts."

"You can ask when we get home." She lost interest in the conversation after that. She grabbed my hand and dragged me back upstairs. "I missed you when I woke up. I had plans for you this morning."

"Really. Do tell Mrs. Cullen."

"Well, it involved something I saw in a book that Alice packed in my suitcase."

I was intrigued.

She smiled at me and said, "I stretched out before you got back." She handed me the book opened to a particular page. "What do you think?"

"I think I like that you are very bendy."

"Funny you should say that. Leah once mentioned that you might like that about me."

It had been an incredible two weeks and I didn't want it to end. I had never felt so relaxed or as optimistic about the future. I felt part of something bigger than myself. She had asked me after we made love one night if it felt different.

"Does what feel different?"

"Does it feel different to you now that we are married?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we have been sleeping together for months. We practically lived together before the whole Riley thing. We lived like we were practically married. Does it feel any different to you now that we are legally married?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Yes. I feel like there is more of a commitment. What about you?"

"I didn't think I would but I do. I felt different the minute that Reverend Webber pronounced us man and wife. You were right, maybe the paper does mean something. Standing before our friends and family and vowing to love each other and be there for each other through the good times and the bad meant something. I'm glad you convinced me that getting married was important."

Yes, this had been a special two weeks.

Bella had finished the last bite of the pasta we had just cooked and wiped her mouth.

"I don't know if it's all the hiking and the snorkeling, but I've had such an appetite since we've been here. I'm going to have to dial it back when we get home or I'm going to be as big as a house."

"I don't care. I'll love you no matter what."

"Hah! You say that now. But what happens when I get so big that even with your vampire strength you can't pick me up?"

"Never going to happen."

"Speaking of home, I was thinking…."

"Many disasters have started with those words."

She elbowed me and then grimaced when it felt like she had hit stone. "So, not funny."

She rubbed her elbow and I kissed it to make it feel better.

"Ok. What were you thinking?"

"Well, we have been on Isle Esme for two weeks. Our school break is almost over and we'll be needing to make arrangements to return to Oregon, right?"

"Right," I said not really sure where she was going with this conversation.

"What would you think about skipping next semester, staying longer and changing me here?"

Maybe running into Joham influenced me. I had worried the whole trip back to the island that my encounter with this strange vampire could put her in danger again. Her idea held appeal. ISo much of our time had been spent worried that I would lose her. After the last two weeks, I knew I wouldn't be able to survive without her.

"Are you serious?"

"I'm ready."

"Bella, I love you so much." I pulled her on to my lap and kissed her. "There is only one problem. There isn't enough game here on the island for you as a newborn. It would also be too dangerous to take you through Rio every time you had to feed."

"What about the Forks house? Or better yet, what about Alaska?"

That made more sense. I could see it. I could see myself changing her. I could see myself helping her as she adjusted to her new reality. I thought of an eternity with my soul mate and it brought a sense of anticipation and urgency.

Before I could say anything to Bella, however, the phone rang. It was the first time we received a call while we had been here. We had called home a few times and Bella had called Charlie twice but no one had disturbed us. Worried that it might be urgent, I picked up the satellite phone.

"Hello?"

"Edward, wait. Don't change her!"

"What?"

"Put me on speaker."

"It's, Alice. She wants me to put her on speaker." I tapped the speaker icon. "Alright. You're on speaker."

"Bella, don't let Edward change you," Alice said urgently.

Alice must have seen our conversation.

Bella looked hurt at Alice's words.

"You just asked him to change you, didn't you?" Alice asked.

"Yes," Bella said cautiously.

"And Edward, you just thought about changing her didn't you?"

"Yes."

Bella looked surprised and then happy at me.

"Well, you can't change her."

"Why?"

"Bella's pregnant!"

THE END

 **A/N 3** : Now you all know that Joham was the vampire that helped Callum. He was also the vampire that changed Maria. Not sure about a sequel but obviously I have set this up so it could be an AU to Breaking Dawn. Right now, I wanted to write a new story idea I had for an AU for Bella and Edward. I hope you will check it out.

 **A/N 4** : Pedestrians and bicyclists really don't have the right of way in Rio. I worked there for a few weeks and it really did look like a game of Frogger. The bus tour with the translator doing five minutes of Portuguese to the two-word English translation of "banana plantation" really happened. I saw Gloria Estefan and her family at a Brazilian traditional dance show in Rio and made her uncomfortable as I stared at her instead of the stage. Thanks for reading my story. Please tell me what you thought of it.


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